


The Thrall Prince

by kuzibah



Series: Loki in Furs [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: (He's from the 1930s!), Anal Sex, Bisexual Steve Rogers, Bisexual Tony Stark, Brief Physical Abuse, Christmas, Deepthroating, Gender or Sex Swap, Implied/Referenced Abortion, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Child Death, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced Sexual Assault, Intersex Loki (Marvel), Life Drawing, M/M, Mildly Misogynistic Language, Minor Injuries, Mutilation, Nudity, Objectification, Oral Sex, Partial Mind Control, Penis In Vagina Sex, Slave Loki (Marvel), Steve Rogers is Smooth, Vaginal Fingering, mention of prostitution
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-09
Updated: 2018-10-13
Packaged: 2019-07-28 11:11:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 40,948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16240430
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kuzibah/pseuds/kuzibah
Summary: Loki was sentenced to slavery, magically enforced, after he tried to take over the earth inThe Avengers.It didn’t go well, so to protect him, Thor turns Loki over to the most honorable person he knows: Steve Rogers. Steve doesn’t love the idea, but with Tony’s help, he just might be the best man for the job. Incidentally, it’ll be Loki/Steve Rogers eventually, but things are going to ramp up slowly.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, this is my first bit of writing in some time (real life – i.e. a baby girl – dominated my existence for a time) and my first set in the MCU. But I wrote a LOT of Buffy fanfic back in the day. “The day” meaning the era of Geocities and Livejournal, so yeah, it’s been awhile. Anyway, I hope you all like it.
> 
> I do beg your indulgence in some fudging of the timelines and some crossing of the movie, comic, and mythological streams. In a nutshell, Steve Rogers is living at Stark Tower roughly two years after the events of _The Avengers_. Basically, the winter before _Captain America: The Winter Soldier._ Pepper and Tony are in a committed relationship, but that didn’t happen until sometime after Tony and Steve became friends. Pepper is running things at SI, but she is not living with Tony. Also, Steve and Tony are a lot closer than I think they ever were in the films, but I used to read the comics (again, at the dawn of time,) so I’m taking some cues from those. Any other issues should be made clear from context, but if you’re really confused, please comment and I’ll try to clear things up.
> 
> Also, I’ll be posting this one chapter a night for the next five nights, sometime before midnight. Mind the tags, as I’ll be updating them with each chapter. Thanks for reading, and kudos and commenting are always appreciated. Thanks.

“He’s a what, now?”

Tony Stark’s words so perfectly echoed Steve Roger’s thoughts that Steve gave his head a small shake to try to clear it, but no, nothing had changed. There was Thor, in all his radiant demigod glory, standing in the middle of the Avengers Tower common room with his younger brother Loki, also a demigod, though at the moment considerably less radiant, groveling at his feet.

“A slave, Stark. Do you not know that word?” Thor sounded genuinely curious.

“We know that word,” Steve finally spoke. “We just happen to find it repulsive.”

“Do you not have slaves in Midgard?”

“We do, just not in civilized countries,” Tony, ever the diplomat, replied.

“That is unfortunate,” Thor said. “I had hoped to mitigate my brother’s torment by finding a benevolent master, and you, Captain Rogers, are the most honorable overseer I could think of. But if you will not accept the manacles that control him, I fear for his fate. The All-father has allowed me to see his sentence is carried out, but I cannot terminate it. If you will not accept this duty, I will need to find another, and I fear there are none I trust to not abuse the position.”

Steve looked down at Loki again, trying to reconcile the powerful and terrifying being he fought two years before with the trembling wretch pressing his forehead to the carpet. Loki’s long, black hair was an unkempt mess, flowing down to cover his face, and his limbs, mostly bare in the ragged tunic he wore, were mottled with healing bruises and fine, white scars. A narrow collar of what appeared to be iron encircled his throat. Steve took a deep breath. Wherever Loki had been, Steve couldn’t send him back. Even if he did deserve punishment for his crimes, Steve could not condone torture.

“How does this work?” Steve asked.

Thor smiled with relief. “Loki will be your slave, Captain Rogers. The collar around his neck forbids him from doing anything you do not specifically command. He cannot tell lies, or do magic. He is perfectly obedient to you, his master, until such time as you willingly give him up.” Thor’s brow creased slightly. “But I pray thee, do not do so, Captain Rogers, until such time as a master of your like can be found. Even in the short time since this punishment was passed upon him, Loki has suffered much. I know my brother. Such forced compliance is penance enough. There is no need to further abuse him.”

Steve frowned. “Do I need to… do anything?”

Thor held out one hand and removed a golden cuff bracelet from his wrist. “Do you agree to be his master?”

Steve nodded slowly. “For now. Until we figure out something better. And I want frequent check-ins, Thor. This is not a situation where you can cut and run.”

Thor nodded gravely. “I understand, Captain.” He held out the cuff. “Your arm now, please?”

Steve held out his right hand and Thor slipped the cuff onto his wrist. Steve felt it contract until it was snug, but not tight.

“It will not impede you in any way,” Thor explained. “Nor can it be removed by anyone but you. So long as you wear it, Loki is compelled to obey you and you alone.” Thor grasped Steve’s hand and forearm. “Now, my time here on Midgard grows short. I will return as soon as I can, Captain Rogers.” He let go, and half-bowed to Tony. “Friend Stark, I thank you for your hospitality. Until we meet again.” And in a cascade of golden light, Thor was gone.

In the demigod’s absence, Loki’s labored breathing became more obvious, but he did not move. Steve and Tony approached him warily. 

“Loki,” Steve said, “can you stand up?”

“Yes,” came a muffled reply from somewhere beneath the nest of hair.

Steve and Tony glanced at one another. “Stand up, then,” Steve said, and Loki got shakily to his feet, his arms crossed at his wrists against the small of his back. Steve tried not to recoil when he saw the bruises extended over Loki’s face, blackening both clouded, lowered eyes.

“Jesus,” Tony said under his breath, and Loki’s eyes shifted quickly in his direction, then back to the floor.

Steve didn’t move or look away. “Tony, is the room next to mine available?” he asked.

Tony seemed to startle into action. “Yeah,” he said, stepping away and towards the elevator. “Let me just open it up for you.” And then he left them alone.

Steve regarded Loki critically. He still didn’t trust the trickster god, but Thor had seemed pretty confident the collar would bind him. Steve thought he should probably see how it worked, exactly.

“Can you speak, Loki?”

Loki’s eyes darted up, then back down, and Steve felt his stomach twist at the frightened look, like the eyes of the stray dogs the boys tied tin cans to in his old neighborhood. “Yes,” Loki said.

“But only when I tell you to?”

Loki’s eyes darted up again and held Steve’s gaze an instant longer this time before lowering again. 

“Yes.”

“What if I give you a standing command,” Steve said. “For instance, if I told you to go to bed every night at 10 o’clock, would you have to do so?”

“Yes.” And now Loki’s eyes met and held Steve’s with an almost pleading look. Steve rubbed his forehead, beginning to understand.

“There’s more to it, isn’t there?” he said. “But you can’t tell me because I haven’t asked you directly, right?”

For the first time, relief flitted across Loki’s expression. “Yes,” he said.

“Please elaborate on your answer,” Steve said, feeling just a little foolish.

“I am required to follow your commands exactly,” Loki said. “If you were to command me to ‘go to bed each night at 10 o’clock,’ then each night, precisely at 10, I would be compelled to drop whatever I was doing and return, or attempt to return, to whatever sleeping chamber you chose for me. Even if such an action would cause harm.”

Steve rubbed his forehead again, the beginning of a headache coming on. “What if I gave some more general commands, like ‘make sure you eat and sleep and take care of yourself on a regular basis,’” he said, then added, “please answer in detail.”

Loki took a moment before answering. “The collar does not allow that sort of latitude,” he said. “Commands must be specific, otherwise I may be compelled to act irrationally. For instance, if I felt hunger, the collar might compel me to consume whatever was at hand, whether it was edible or not.”

Steve stared. “You mean like… dirt?”

“Yes.”

Steve’s stomach sank. “Has that ever happened to you?”

“Something similar, yes,” Loki replied without inflection.

Steve sighed. “Let’s see if Tony has your room ready, and we’ll go from there. Follow me, Loki.” 

Steve noted that Loki moved stiffly, almost robotically, with none of the feline grace he remembered from their previous encounters. He followed Steve mutely into the elevator, then down and into the hallway where Steve’s quarters were. The door next to his was open and Tony stood just outside. 

“Do you need anything?” he asked Steve.

“Not just now,” Steve answered. “I just, I need to figure out how this is going to work. I’ll let you know, and I’ll see you at breakfast, okay?”

Tony narrowed his eyes at Loki, who was back to concentrating on the floor at his feet. “There are toiletries and towels in the bathroom cabinets,” Tony said. “And some basic clothes and pajamas in the dresser. If you need anything, ask Jarvis, and he’ll call for me, if necessary.”

Steve gave his friend a grateful smile. “Thanks, Tony. I really appreciate this.”

“Well, to be honest, I’m kind of curious how this is going to play out,” Tony answered. “Also, FYI, I’m having Jarvis monitor everything. Twiggy here tries anything, I’ll be on him like white on rice.” Steve knew this last was more for Loki’s benefit than his own.

“I think I have it under control,” Steve said. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

Tony gave Steve a short nod, glared at Loki again, then left them alone in the hallway.

“Loki, please enter the room,” Steve said, and Loki walked in, then, to Steve’s surprise, sank to his knees with a smooth, elegant motion, hands still crossed behind his back. 

“Why did you do that?” Steve blurted, then added, “in detail.”

“I suppose you would call it my ‘at rest’ position,” Loki said, sounding oddly thoughtful. “If I am left without commands to follow, I am compelled to wait for my master upon my knees.” Loki gave a sad, resigned smile. “I suppose it’s a compliment, in a way,” he went on, “to not allow me any volition at all. As though I would exploit the smallest gap in the spell.”

“Would you?” Steve asked.

“Oh, yes,” Loki agreed, sounding like himself for the first time since he’d arrived.

“How long would you be forced to wait? Until you fainted, or died of hunger?”

“Perhaps,” Loki said. “But I do not need to sleep or eat in the same way you do, so those things might take quite a long time, if that is a concern to you.”

“What’s the longest you remained waiting like that?” Steve asked, trying to remember what he could of Thor’s metabolism.

“Six days,” Loki replied. “When my former master was away at the hunt.”

Steve shook his head in disgust, muttering an oath under his breath, then looked around the room, trying to decide his next course of action. His eyes fell on the dresser, where Tony had helpfully set out some of what Steve’s mother had once called “soft clothes,” loose trousers and a long shirt for sleeping. “We should get you washed, I guess,” Steve said, and the relieved look passed over Loki’s face again. “Do I have to command you..?” Steve honestly didn’t know how to finish that sentence, but luckily it was enough for the collar to allow Loki’s response.

“Not step-by-step,” Loki said. “You can tell me to bathe and dress for bed, and that… should be sufficient.” With a sinking feeling, Steve realized Loki wasn’t completely sure of his limitations, either. 

Oh, this is going to go so well, Steve thought irritably.

“Fine,” he said, maybe a little curtly. “Go bathe and… whatever else you need to do, and then dress in those clothes. Then we’ll go from there.”

“Yes, master,” Loki said, and Steve winced. Loki rose to his feet, then seemed to stumble. Steve took a step forward, when he realized Loki wasn’t falling, but more like… stuttering, small movements repeating for just a moment as Loki seemed to come to a decision about how he must approach the task set to him. It reminded Steve of how Tony’s lab robots reacted when he gave them two orders at once. But Loki recovered in a moment, first crossing to the dresser to take the clothes, then crossing back to enter the bathroom. Steve had a mental five-second debate in his head over whether he should give Loki some privacy, then decided he’d better supervise until they all understood how the commands worked a little better.

When he joined Loki, the demigod was perched, naked, one leg tucked under him and his back to Steve, on the edge of the bathtub. Steve noted, with disgust but not surprise, that the pale skin of Loki’s back was marred by yet more bruising and scars. The tub filled quickly and Loki slid in, sinking down until the water lapped at his chin. Steve leaned back against the far wall and turned his head to the side, affording Loki what little privacy he could without leaving him entirely alone. He heard the water splash lightly as he presumed Loki washed, and then, the tub began to drain. He glanced quickly over to see Loki rubbing himself dry, and was strangely grateful for the thick, soft towels Tony provided. Drawers in the vanity slid open, and Steve glanced again to see Loki removing a hairbrush, comb, and toothbrush, the towel wrapped loosely around his waist. Steve waited patiently, staring at a spot on the doorframe, until he heard the soft thump of Loki’s knees hitting the floor. 

“Are you ready to sleep?” Steve asked quietly.

“Yes,” Loki answered.

Steve nodded. “Return to the bedroom and go to bed,” he said. 

Loki repeated, “yes, master,” (Steve made a mental note to address that the next day,) rose smoothly, exited to the bedroom and slid under the covers. 

“Get yourself ready in the morning when you wake up,” Steve told him, and shut out the light as he left him alone. 

It took a long time for Steve to fall asleep himself.

+++

When Steve woke, just at dawn, he found Loki already kneeling in his room, just inside the door. He still wore the clothes he’d slept in, and Steve decided to just leave him in them, as it appeared his last command the night before had been enough for Loki to comb his hair, and the thought of even leaving the tower that day was enough to make Steve want to crawl under his blankets and never come out. 

“Are you hungry,” he asked Loki.

“Yes.”

Steve rubbed his hand over his face and climbed out of bed. “Come with me, then,” he said, leading Loki to the Tower’s large, common kitchen. “Sit at the table,” he directed before Loki could return to his knees, and Loki took one of the chairs. Steve pulled a box of pancake mix out of the pantry, then a pan and other cookware as needed, realizing only as the cakes were turning golden brown as they cooked that he’d fallen back on what Tony sometimes called the “Rogers Special,” the simple, familiar food he associated with his childhood, when sometimes a single egg would be all he and his Ma had until payday. 

He stacked three of the cakes on a plate and set it in front of Loki. “Chow down,” he said, turning back to the stove.

The sound of Loki gagging slightly stopped him cold and he turned back to see the demigod shoving the cakes into his mouth with both hands. “Loki, stop!” Steve nearly shouted, and Loki froze. 

“Not like that,” Steve said gently, and Loki lowered his head as fragments of pancake fell from his mouth. Steve fell into the chair across from him. 

“Was that me?” Steve asked, his voice quiet. “Was my command..?”

“It was perhaps… too vague,” Loki said. “The collar is Asgardian technology, and perhaps is not compatible with Midgardian idiom.”

Steve sighed, embarrassed by Loki’s graciousness after he’d nearly been asphyxiated on his first meal there. 

“Please eat, Loki,” he said, and Loki picked up his fork and knife, cutting the pancakes into bits before raising the food to his mouth.

“Is there something you’d like to drink?” Steve asked.

“Fruit juice,” Loki said quickly, almost as if the words had been squeezed out suddenly, and Steve rummaged around the fridge and pantry before finally finding a few small single-serve cans of cranberry and pineapple juice in the mini-fridge behind the bar (because of course Tony could only ingest actual vitamins if they were mixed with vodka, Steve thought uncharitably, though in his defense he was not at his best) and brought them back to the table. 

“Um, drink as many of these as you want,” he said, and Loki took a pineapple juice and opened the tab. Steve returned to the stove, watching Loki as he cooked. Steve thought Loki was looking a little better than the previous night as he watched the pale silent figure sip the juice delicately between bites of pancake. The blackness around his eyes was definitely fading, though it had begun to turn the alarming vivid almost-green color of healing bruises. 

By the end of the meal, Loki had eaten more than Steve would have guessed he would from his slenderness, even with frequent checking that he wasn’t being forced by the collar to eat more than he wanted. Steve tried not to think about what this meant and concentrate on making sure he was fed as regularly as possible under Steve’s care. Which brought Steve around again to just how he was supposed to supervise what was starting to feel more like a punishment for him than for the so-called Trickster God. (And he really wanted some coffee, but no way was he touching Tony’s fancy German coffee maker. Seriously, whatever happened to percolators?)

“Loki, tell me about your former… commanders. What did they have you do all day?”

Loki looked at him from under his lashes, and began in the quiet, precise way of speaking that Steve was becoming used to. “My first master,” he began, disregarding Steve’s attempt to reframe the title, “was an Asgardian noblewoman. An acquaintance of my adoptive parents, I believe. I have no doubt she was chosen by my mother to mitigate the penalty to which Odin had consigned me. She would usually give me a list of duties in the morning, and I would fulfill them. I kept her house quite clean, did the laundry, attended to her gardens and livestock, and assisted her cook in preparing the meals. At her parties, I tended and served her guests. She was as kind as she could be, considering all of Asgard thought me a criminal for whom no punishment was too great.

“All would have been well with her, I don’t doubt, had she not incurred debt and been forced to use me as… payment.” Loki pressed his lips together, then began to speak again, more quickly this time. “My next master was not so kind. He used me, my body, he forced me to perform…” Loki’s eyes screwed shut in pain, and his teeth gritted. 

“Loki, stop!” Steve shouted, sick with horror, and Loki’s head dropped forward, his panting breaths now the only sound.

 _Well_ , Steve thought, _now I know why Thor brought him to me._

On the counter, Tony’s coffee maker hissed to life, indicating the man himself was awake and would soon be joining them. Steve reached a hand towards Loki, wanting to make it right before Tony saw him so broken, but not quite touching him. “Loki, I’m sorry. I’m sorry that happened to you, and I’m sorry you had to tell me. I’m trying… I don’t want to do this. I don’t want you to be helpless and enslaved. Punished properly, yes, but not tortured like this. I’m going to find a way to change this, I promise. And I’ll do everything I can to see you’re not hurt.”

Loki raised his gaze to meet Steve’s, and Steve could not quite read the expression in it.

“Damn, I was hoping I had dreamed last night,” Tony Stark announced as he entered the kitchen and poured his first mug of coffee for the day, and Steve dropped his hand, the moment gone. 

Tony slid into another chair, his eyes half closed before the caffeine started kicking in. “So..?” he said, “how’s everything going? You both appear to be in one piece, so no totally foreseeable treachery overnight?”

Loki’s head dropped again, and Steve turned a glare on Tony, who was finally appearing to wake up.

“Tony, we need to talk,” Steve said, casting a quick glance at Loki. “Privately.” 

Tony shot a look in Loki’s direction and nodded, exiting to the balcony where they could speak but still watch Loki through the windows. 

“Tony, I can’t do this,” Steve said without preamble. “This spell, it’s insane! It’s cruel! It’s only been two years, and he’s already been victimized beyond the bounds of human decency. It’s barbaric! I certainly don’t want to be involved in it, but anywhere I send him will probably be worse!”

Tony studied Loki through the glass until Steve stopped speaking. “Undoubtedly,” he agreed, bringing Steve up short.

“What?”

Tony turned back to Steve. “I mean, obviously,” he said. “You can’t give someone absolute control over another person like this and not expect the whole thing to turn Stanford Prison Experiment by the end of the day.”

Steve frowned and Tony waved one hand. “Experiment to prove people in power tend to abuse that power,” Tony explained. “It was flawed, but I think everyone agrees there was something to it. Anyway, that’s the point of this thing, obviously. He puts people in a psychic headlock, Odin does the same to him. He wants us all to kneel, he’s forced to kneel himself.”

“How did..?”

“I had Jarvis brief me this morning,” Tony said, ignoring another glare from Steve. “He craves attention, now he’ll never be without it again.”

Steve was studying Loki now, too. “What do you mean, he craves attention?”

Tony scoffed. “Please, you think I can’t recognize a little boy with daddy issues by now?” he said, and Steve felt the pang he always did whenever Tony suggested Howard Stark maybe wasn’t the best father. “Anyway,” Tony went on, “we’re going to need more data if we’re going to sort this thing out. Let’s go ask him a few questions.”

When they returned to the table, Loki had appeared to collect himself, and was now staring dully at the remains of the meal. 

“Loki,” Steve said gently, “Tony has some questions for you. I want you to answer him as completely as you can, okay?”

“Yes, master,” Loki said, his voice as expressionless as his eyes.

“Okay, I think I understand the basics,” Tony began, half to himself and half to his audience, “but I’m kind of fuzzy on the limitations. Now, you’re compelled to do what you’re told. What happens if you resist?”

“Pain, at first,” Loki said, “then it feels as though my will is ceded to an outside force. My body acts without my volition, and I am but a passenger inside my own mind.”

“Sounds like what Clint said he experienced,” Tony muttered, and Steve saw Loki wince. “What if you were ordered to do something you really didn’t want to, like, uh, walk barefoot over some Legos?” 

Loki winced again. “I would do it,” he said. 

“What if you were ordered to do something you’d never done before, like make vichyssoise?”

“The collar somehow finds that knowledge for me,” Loki said. “I would do it.”

“What if you were ordered to, to jump out a window.”

“Tony…” Steve began, but Loki raised his eyes.

“I would do it,” he said. 

“How about if you were ordered to hurt yourself in a non-lethal way? To cut your fingers off, say, or…”

“Tony, that’s enough,” Steve said sharply, but Loki replied anyway, his voice rising to a shout.

“I would do it!” 

“Shit,” Tony said, while Steve only stared, horrified. Loki was glaring at Tony now, and his lips were twitching, as though he were about to speak, but of course he couldn’t. He bared his teeth, instead.

“You don’t have to answer Tony anymore,” Steve said, trying to keep his voice calm, and then, because he felt like he had to, he added, “you’re safe here. I won’t give you any of those commands.”

“Hold on,” Tony said. “What if something happens to you? I mean, tomorrow never knows, as they say. What if something happens to the Cap?”

And Steve had to admit this was a good question, so he asked Loki to answer.

“I am your property,” Loki said, voice expressionless again. “Like your other possessions, I would pass to your heirs.”

Steve gave a sidelong glance to Tony. The billionaire had referred Steve to his legal advisors shortly after they’d met, and Steve had made arrangements for his few worldly goods to be distributed to SHIELD, his friends, and the odd historical institution in the event of the worst. Now he’d have to account for an alien slave, as well.

“One last question,” Tony said. “When does this punishment end?”

“Yes,” Steve said. “When?”

Loki was able to give a rueful smile before he answered. “It doesn’t.”

Tony took Steve’s arm and pulled him back out to the balcony. “He’s from Asgard,” Tony hissed as soon as they were out of earshot. “He’s already over 1000 years old. I don’t care how well we plan, he is fucked. And I mean literally and repeatedly.”

“Jesus Christ, Tony…” Steve felt like he was going to throw up. “We have to do something.”

“I know, I know,” Tony said. “And we’ll think of something. We always do. But we need to work this whole mess out in the meantime. And we need to inform the team, naturally.”

“Why, exactly?” Steve asked. “Why does anyone have to know?”

“Give them a chance, Steve. They’ve all dealt with their own crazy shit. Maybe they have an angle we don’t know. And what if we need to go out and… avenge? How are you going to explain the skinny goth kid kneeling in the laundry room?”

“No, you’re right,” Steve conceded. “But no one else. I don’t want him turned into some damned science experiment.”

“Agreed,” Tony said. “And I think it needs to be one at a time.”

“Bruce first,” Steve said, and Tony nodded. Steve looked back at Loki, who sat nearly motionless, although Steve could see his hands were balled into fists in his lap, probably all the freedom of movement he had. “I feel like shit,” Steve said. “I want to do something nice for him but I don’t even know how.”

“Why don’t you ask him if there’s something he wants to ask for,” Tony said. “I think if you put a layer between everything, ask him what he wants, he won’t feel forced.” 

Steve shook his head. “I’ll give it a try,” he said, and returned to the table. “Loki,” he said gently, “is there anything you want to ask me for?”

Loki looked up, and Steve thought he saw surprise for just a moment. “Yes,” Loki breathed.

“What is it?”

And Loki looked to Steve as though he almost didn’t dare to speak, as if he were afraid this was a trick, but finally said, “I wish to have books, and permission to read.”

+++

Tony set Loki up with a Starkpad and allowed him access to Amazon to download books (under Jarvis’s supervision, of course. Neither he nor Steve entirely trusted Loki, yet,) and with Steve’s permission Loki retreated to his bedroom, where, Jarvis informed them, he sat cross-legged on his bed and paged through a book about the Neolithic art of Northern Europe. Tony made a few calls while Steve fortified himself with some coffee, and shortly afterward, Bruce Banner arrived.

Steve and Tony began to catch Bruce up on the “Loki situation,” when the being in question entered the common room and knelt silently by the door. 

“Loki, what’s going on?” Steve asked. “I thought you were reading.”

Loki gave him a look of chagrin. “Apparently,” he said, “the collar has decided it’s time for me to get back to work for you.”

Bruce stared at Loki a moment, then looked questioningly at Steve. “How does that work?”

Steve gave an annoyed huff. “It’s news to me, too.”

“Okay, new data,” Tony said. “Cap, ask him for details.”

“Loki, explain.”

Loki made an annoyed grunt. “I don’t know,” he said. “I was just reading, when I felt the collar compelling me to present myself to you for tasks. I tried to ignore it, but, well…”

“Interesting…” This was Tony.

“Has this ever happened before?” Steve asked.

“No. But then again, this is the first time I’ve been permitted to do something for myself.” Loki sighed. “I suppose that’s not allowed.”

Steve scrubbed his hands over his face in frustration, and at that moment Natasha exited from the elevator. She regarded Loki quizzically.

“Alright, how’d you know?” Tony said.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Stark,” she said calmly, “I know everything.” She crouched down to look Loki in the eye, and Loki visibly stiffened. Steve pushed down the impulse to drag him away from the scrutiny.

“So, the collar controls everything, huh?” she asked.

“As far as we can tell,” Steve told her.

“How do you know this isn’t some elaborate con?” Natasha went on, snapping her fingers back and forth in front of Loki’s eyes.

“I trust Thor,” Steve said. “And from what we’ve observed the collar works the way it’s supposed to.”

“Which is all kinds of fucked up,” Tony muttered.

“What about his injuries?” Bruce said. “Has he seen a doctor?”

“Not yet, but that’s a good idea,” Steve said, then he turned on Natasha, “can you please stop that?”

Natasha gave him a glare, but stood and moved away from Loki, then returned wordlessly to the elevator.

“Thanks for stopping by!” Tony called after her. “Please, feel free to barge in uninvited anytime.”

“She’s going to get Clint,” Bruce said.

“Oh, that ought to be a delight,” Tony groused.

“Guys, can we focus, please,” Steve said. “Okay, right. Doctor. Bruce, would you be comfortable doing that?”

“I’m probably not the best person for the job,” Bruce admitted. “But I know a scientist with a lot of interest in extraterrestrial contact who would probably jump at it.”

Steve frowned. “I don’t want this going outside,” he said. “Can we trust him to be discreet?”

“Her, actually,” Bruce said. “And she’s assisted me on occasion. I trust her.”

“Great. Now about the collar. If Loki is not allowed to do things on his own, what is he going to do all day? I mean, we can’t just have him kneel in one place all the time.”

“Why not?” Tony said. “He’s quiet, he’s out of the way…”

“Tony, I’m not doing that,” Steve said firmly.

“Well, it’s almost lunchtime,” Tony said. “Why don’t we have him make us some sandwiches?”

“Jesus, Tony…”

“No, that actually might not be a bad idea,” Bruce said, approaching Loki warily. “I mean, there has to be some underlying purpose to the thing. If they wanted him tortured, they would just torture him, right? Twisted as it may be, there must be something of, of… rehabilitation intended in it. Maybe they want him to learn to serve.”

Tony snapped his fingers. “Exactly. He’s been this spoiled brat, little prince with unimaginable powers, and he’s not even grateful. So they let him see how most of the universe lives and maybe he learns some manners.”

Steve took note of Loki’s sneer at this suggestion, but he had to admit it had a kind of logic to it. He crouched down so he could look Loki in the eye. “Do you know anything about how the collar is supposed to work?” he asked. 

“I don’t,” Loki admitted. “But…” Loki’s mouth snapped shut and he gave growl of frustration.

“Go on,” Steve said.

“I would not be averse to doing tasks,” Loki admitted. “It eases the discomfort of the collar when I am given commands.”

Steve stood up, and waved one hand in Loki’s direction. “Fine, okay,” he said. “Loki, could you please make us some ham and cheese sandwiches.”

“Yes, master,” Loki said, rising smoothly to his feet and crossing to the kitchen. 

“Interesting,” Tony said. “I think you may be onto something, Doc.”

“Part of it’s probably just hoping that a people as technologically advanced as Thor’s wouldn’t just be total sadists,” Bruce said. “I’m sure we’ll be spending the next couple of weeks figuring out how the collar works and what its purpose is.”

Or years, Steve thought dismally.

The three men took their places at the table and ate as Loki served a plate of sandwiches, and, though it pained Steve to do it, as the demigod prepared their drinks (two coffees and an herbal tea) and tidied up. “Loki, join us and eat,” Steve said, just as it seemed he was about to kneel again. Loki slid into a chair and took half a sandwich from the plate. Steve handed him a can of juice left from breakfast and added, “drink, too, if you want.”

“Okay, so what are the tasks we get him to do?” Tony said. “Do we stick with the cooking and cleaning, or expand on the whole ‘collar finding the knowledge’ thing and start working on cold fusion..?”

“Tony, stop,” Steve said. “shouldn’t we be trying to figure out how to get the collar off so we don’t have to order him to do anything?”

“Are you for real?” Tony said. “That’s your goal? Set the psychopath with god-like powers loose? Again?”

Steve shook his head. “Of course not, but that doesn’t mean I want to be responsible for his every waking moment for the rest of my life.”

“Steve, I understand what you’re saying,” Bruce said diplomatically, “and I know it’s probably killing you, feeling like you’re exploiting another person like this, but from what Loki said, *not* using the collar as intended isn’t doing him any favors, either. I think, until we get this figured out, we just do what you’re doing: keep Loki occupied, nothing too taxing, maybe order him to take some time to himself now and then…”

Steve looked over at Loki, who seemed to be absolutely engrossed in his sandwich while his fate was discussed.

“Loki, does that sound like a reasonable compromise for now?” Steve said.

“Yes,” Loki said, his voice very quiet.

“Okay,” Steve said. “But no cold fusion, Tony. Loki said he was used to doing housework… before. Maybe he could take over for the cleaning service. You always say it’s more trouble to put all the Avengers stuff away before they get here, anyway.”

“True,” Tony agreed. “And if he’s a decent cook, I won’t complain.”

Steve took a deep breath. “Okay, then,” he said. “Tony, it’s your house. Let me know what you want done, and I’ll work out a list of duties.”

Before they could go further, the elevator opened and Natasha and Clint Barton exited.

“Hey, guys,” Tony shouted with fake gaiety. “Great to see you! Care for some sandwiches? I have some new domestic help I’m breaking in, apparently!”

“What the hell is this?” Clint said, ignoring Tony. “We’re sheltering genocidal maniacs now? Was anyone going to give me the memo?”

“That was the plan,” Steve said. “But I kind of wanted to have an adult discussion about it before it became a free-for-all.” He lowered his voice. “Clint, please.”

“Jesus, Rogers,” Clint said. “You know what he did to me.”

“I do,” Steve said. “And this is his punishment. Thor has given him to me to supervise personally, so I’m pretty confident he’s not going to be trying to take over the world again.”

“You don’t think this is a trick?” Clint demanded. “He comes in and makes a big show of bowing and scraping and he’s a helpless little greasy kitten all of a sudden? Didn’t you even test this thing? Or did you just take his word for it?”

“What do you want me to do, Clint?” Steve barked back. “I’ve already said, I’m not going to be party to torture.”

“Did you even give simple commands?” Clint insisted. “Spin in a circle? Clap your hands? Do the Hokey-Pokey? Anything?”

Steve bit back his retort. It was actually a good point. He turned to Loki, who was watching him curiously. “Please stand up, Loki,” Steve said, and Loki did.

“Tell him to turn in a circle,” Clint said.

“Turn around, Loki,” Steve said, and Loki spun once on his toes.

“Touch your toes,” Clint ordered.

“Follow Clint’s orders,” Steve said, just wanting the ordeal over with. Loki bent at the waist and touched his toes.

“On your hands and knees,” Clint said, and Loki lowered himself to the ground. “Come here,” Clint said, his voice rising.

“Clint, don’t…” Steve said, but Loki began to crawl towards the archer.

“On your belly, snake!” Clint was almost shouting now and Loki went all the way down, still inching his way across the floor.

“Clint, that’s…” Steve began, his voice also raised, when Clint darted forward and landed a vicious kick in Loki’s ribs.

“No!” Steve shouted, launching himself at Clint and knocking him to the ground. Once he had Clint subdued, he looked back at Loki, who, to Steve’s horror, was still crawling towards them. “Loki, stop!” Steve ordered, and Loki froze. Steve pulled Clint up by his shirt front so he could look him in the eye. “Are you satisfied?” Steve said. 

“Hardly,” Clint scoffed, and Steve pushed him away.

“Get out,” Steve said. “You and Natasha both. Come back when you’re ready to act like adults.”

Wordlessly, the two agents exited. Loki’s harsh pants were loud in the room.

“T-Tony, I need some time alone,” Bruce said, his voice shaking, and Tony escorted him quickly away to another part of the tower. Steve crouched at Loki’s side, where the demigod lay trembling and whimpering on the floor. 

“Loki, can you stand?” Steve asked gently.

“I think so,” Loki gasped.

“Come with me to your bedroom,” Steve directed, and Loki staggered to his feet.

“Sit down on the bed,” Steve said when they’d entered the room, and Loki did, staring at his hands in his lap. Steve reached for Loki’s shirt, stopping quickly when he saw Loki wince away. “Can I see where?” Steve asked, and Loki nodded, then lifted the shirt himself. Steve could see the mix of fear, rage, and humiliation that burned in Loki’s eyes. 

“It doesn’t look that bad,” Steve said, his fingers hovering over the bruise without quite touching. “How does it feel?”

“The pain is already fading,” Loki said. “I’ve had far worse.”

Steve felt his heart sink even further. “Loki, I’m sorry. I don’t want it to be like this. I just wish you could tell me what you’re thinking.”

Loki looked up suddenly, his eyes more fearful now, then he clapped his hands over his mouth. “Loki, what is it?” Steve said, and words began to spill out of Loki’s mouth in a rush.

“I’m so frightened, and in pain. It’s too hot, and I am too vulnerable in these clothes. I miss my mother, and the food on Asgard, and I’m afraid you’ll turn me over to Stark and Barton, who will kill me, as is their right…”

“Loki, stop,” Steve said, and Loki put his hands over his mouth again. His eyes squeezed shut and two tears rolled out.

And because there really wasn’t anything else he could do, Steve said, “lower the temperature in this room ten degrees, please, Jarvis.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve is minding Loki, and trying not to screw up too badly. Loki has a medical exam, and a secret is learned. Tony analyzes the collar. New tasks are assigned. Apologies are made.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New tags have been added. Don’t read them if you want to be surprised!

Tony found Steve at the kitchen table a short time later. “How is he?” Tony asked.

“How do you think?” Steve answered. “He’s barely been here twelve hours and I’ve already traumatized him twice and allowed him to get attacked. I knew this would be a disaster, but this is beyond… I feel like a monster, Tony.”

“Well, at least you’re not giving it to him uphill, so one up and one down, you know…”

“Jesus Christ, Tony!” Steve nearly shouted, his face turning red. “Do you listen to everything in here?”

“That was just an educated guess,” Tony said, looking just a little embarrassed. “But I sympathize. I do. The longer he stays here, the more we’ll learn, right? Maybe there’s a, a workaround or something, at least so he can protect his own body.”

“Even P.O.W.s have rights,” Steve said miserably. “I’m not looking to set him loose, just…”

“I get it,” Tony said. “And I am working on it. I’m having Jarvis monitor him, try and find patterns. I really hate technology acting like magic, but there has to be some sort of algorithm the collar follows. It’s just a case of figuring out what.”

Steve sighed. “Thanks, Tony. I appreciate that. I do. I know it’s a lot for you to take all this on in your home…”

“Let me worry about that,” Tony interrupted. 

Steve gave him a grateful smile, then went on, “by the way, I asked Jarvis to order some fruit. Loki said it’s what he was mostly used to eating on Asgard, so I thought…” He trailed off.

“It’s fine,” Tony said. “Whatever he wants. Whatever you want, too, for that matter. Jarvis is here to serve.”

“Indeed I am, sir,” Jarvis agreed from somewhere in the walls, and Steve allowed himself another smile.

+++

The next morning, Steve had a written list for Loki that he and Tony had worked out. Wordlessly, Loki rose from where he was kneeling just inside Steve’s door and took it, then exited to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.

Steve and Tony emerged from their own bedrooms shortly afterwards to find omelets and fried hash browns waiting. Loki joined them to eat, as directed by the list, when Jarvis spoke to them.

“You have received a text from Doctor Banner, sir,” the A.I. said. “He wondered if he could bring his associate by later this morning to examine Mr. Laufeyson.”

“That’ll be fine,” Tony said, shoveling another forkful of the potatoes into his mouth. “Tell him we can meet in the medical bay.”

“Very good, sir,” Jarvis said. 

Loki finished his food, then rose wordlessly and cleaned up the dishes and cookware. He pointedly did not meet Tony or Steve’s eye. Afterward he removed himself to the upper floors, presumably to begin the laundry he’d been assigned. 

“I think it’s going well,” Tony said.

“I really hate this,” Steve replied, “but if it eases things up for him, maybe it’s all we can do.”

“If you’re that worried, just keep checking in with him,” Tony suggested. “If there’s an issue, we can adjust.”

Steve drained the last of his coffee and went to find Loki, locating him in Steve’s bedroom, where he was stripping the used sheets from the bed. He still was not looking at Steve. “Loki, stop,” Steve ordered, and the demigod froze and raised his eyes.

“Just checking in,” Steve said. “How does the list seem to be working?”

“Well,” Loki allowed. “I am not feeling the pressure I had been from the collar.”

“Good,” Steve said. “Any other issues? Say only what you want to.”

Loki licked his lips, then lowered his eyes again and shook his head. Steve gave him a hard stare. Clearly there was something on Loki’s mind, but he was entitled to his private thoughts, Steve reminded himself.

“Alright,” Steve said. “I’ll come for you when the doctor arrives.” Loki nodded, still silent.

“Resume duties,” Steve said, leaving Loki alone.

+++

When Dr. Kinross arrived, Tony took her straight to the medical bay, and Steve asked Jarvis to locate Loki.

“He is in the laundry facilities,” the A.I. informed him, and Steve went there to find Loki ironing the bedsheets. 

“Loki, stop,” Steve commanded. “The doctor is here. She’s ready to examine you.”

Loki drew himself up and nodded. “Yes, master,” he said, but something in his tone made Steve frown.

“Loki, are you worried about the exam?”

Loki’s eyes squeezed shut, and Steve winced as he realized he’d given Loki an order he most definitely didn’t want to obey.

“No, stop,” Steve corrected himself before Loki could speak. “You don’t have to answer. That’s your business. But if you want to tell me, I promise it will be okay.”

There was a long silence before Loki finally spoke. “You know I am not of Asgard,” he said quietly.

“Well, Thor did mention that you’re adopted,” Steve said, and Loki rolled his eyes.

“I am Jotun,” Loki said. “And there are differences in my… anatomy.” Loki licked his lips again, then shook his head quickly. “Never mind,” he said. “You’ll find out soon enough. Lead on.”

Steve walked with Loki to the medical bay, but meanwhile his mind was racing. _Thor and Loki are actually different races? I knew they looked different, but what other differences could he mean? Does he have extra organs? Hidden abilities? Is this why the temperature was too hot?_

They entered the room where Dr. Kinross and Tony had prepared an examination table. 

“Mr. Stark has explained the situation,” Dr. Kinross said, her voice shaded with a thick Scottish brogue. “I’ll need to ask Loki some questions, so you can observe, or…”

“No,” Steve said. “I’ll stay nearby if needed, but I think Loki should have his privacy. Loki, please answer the doctor’s questions as completely as you can.”

Loki was back to nodding silently, so the doctor shooed Tony and Steve back from the table and drew a privacy curtain. Steve retreated across the room while Tony exited to somewhere else (Steve hoped it wasn’t a room where he could have Jarvis transmit everything the doctor and Loki were saying.) Steve heard the doctor speaking to Loki softly, and then the quiet movements as, he presumed, Loki removed his clothes and climbed onto the table. A few moments later he heard Dr. Kinross’s voice, louder now, as she addressed Jarvis.

“Please record height, weight and temperature,” she said.

“Height, 1.88 meters,” Jarvis recited. “72 kilograms. Temperature 24 degrees Celsius.”

There was more movement, then more quiet conversation, for about 20 minutes before Dr. Kinross called for Steve to join them. When he pulled the privacy curtain aside, Loki was pulling his shirt back over his head.

“Loki, the Captain and I are just going to have a little chat about your needs,” Dr. Kinross said. “Is it okay with you if I tell him what I’ve found?”

Loki gave Steve a stare that seemed to hold a meaning Steve could not interpret, then he nodded. 

“You may go or stay, as you wish,” the doctor said.

“I’d prefer to go,” Loki murmured.

“Very well,” the doctor said. “I have all I need for now.”

“Please resume your duties,” Steve said, and Loki ducked his head submissively and nearly bolted from the room.

“Is everything okay?” Steve asked, surprising himself by how worried he was about the answer.

“He seems to be in as sufficient health as can be expected, under the circumstances,” Dr. Kinross said. “I’ll start with the biggest bombshell. Were you aware that Loki was intersex?”

“I’m sorry, what?”

“Having ambiguous sexual characteristics,” Dr. Kinross explained. “In Loki’s case, he has both male and female genitals.”

 _Well, that’s certainly different,_ Steve thought, but he couldn’t find the words to answer her.

“There’s more,” Dr Kinross said. “Loki said you’d been informed of the abuse at the hands of his former master.”

Steve’s mouth went dry. “Yes,” he said quietly. 

“It was apparently rather severe,” Dr Kinross said. “There was considerable scarring, as though performed by metal instruments, and, of course, his organs differ somewhat from human ones, but I suspected, and Loki confirmed, that he had been impregnated and forced to abort the fetus. It was done with such violence, I doubt he will be able to carry a child again.”

Steve felt sick. Of course, he had no way of knowing if Loki even wanted to carry a child someday, but to be mutilated in such a way… Steve shook his head harder, again unable to find words. 

And then Dr Kinross was explaining that Loki should sleep in a cold room, about 15 degrees Celsius or lower, if they could manage it, and to avoid too many complex carbohydrates in his diet, but Steve’s head was reeling. The doctor, seeing his discomfort, offered to email her suggestions as soon as she could, and then she was thanking Steve for the opportunity to examine such a unique species, and then she was gone. Steve fell into one of the chairs and held his head in his hands. He knew it had been bad, but this was so much worse than he’d imagined. 

“Captain Rogers,” Jarvis interrupted after some time had gone by (Steve wasn’t sure how long.)

“What is it?”

“Lunch is being served,” Jarvis said. “Mr. Stark asked me to inform you if you wish to join him and Mr. Laufeyson in the kitchen.”

Steve got to his feet and scrubbed a palm over his face. “Tell them I’m on my way,” he said.

When Steve took his place at the lunch table (a rather attractive plate that included grilled cheese, tomato soup, and fresh fruit) he noted that Tony was looking at him with naked curiosity and Loki was looking down with clouded eyes. 

“So, how’d it go?” Tony asked. 

Steve glanced over at Loki. “That’s Loki’s business,” he said, noting that Loki shot him a look that was part surprise and part gratitude before lowering his eyes again. “And I know Jarvis records everything,” Steve went on, “but I would consider it a personal favor if you erased Dr Kinross’s conversation with Loki from your record.”

Tony’s face twisted with disappointment, and Steve could tell he wanted to argue, but finally he waved one hand dismissively. “Fine. Jarvis, delete all footage recorded in the medical bay today.”

“Very good, sir,” Jarvis said.

Tony took another bite of his sandwich. “I live here, though,” he said. “It’ll come out eventually.”

“Thanks, Tony,” Steve said. 

+++

After Loki had cleared away the dishes and tidied up, then removed himself to another part of the tower to continue his chores, Steve thanked Tony again.

“It’s fine, really,” Tony told him. “I used to be in the war business. There’s very little one human being can do to another that I haven’t heard about. If he’d rather not talk about it, I certainly understand.”  
It was on the tip of Steve’s tongue to remind Tony that Loki wasn’t exactly a human being and he might be surprised, but he decided to change the subject, instead. 

“How much did you want to allow Loki to roam around the tower?” Steve said. “Right now we just have him cooking and washing, and tidying up the bedrooms and baths, but he seems better when we fill his time.”

“I’d actually thought about that,” Tony said, “and had a nice long talk with Pepper today. With the various foundations and charities, there’s always lots of clerical work to be done. Direct mailings, newsletters, all sorts of paperwork for benefit events, you name it. One of Pepper’s assistants usually sends out smoke signals to the entire staff, offers perks for anyone who’s willing to stuff envelopes during their lunch break. But if you think it’s something Loki could do, she could easily fill several hours a day. Could probably find a stipend in the budget somewhere. Set up a trust for the day he might actually need money.”

Steve was touched that Tony had actually given the issue such careful thought, and the solution sounded ideal. Loki could stay in the tower, and be able to work with little supervision, yet it still wasn’t strenuous or taxing. And the offer of money was particularly thoughtful. 

“Just to be clear, though,” Tony went on, scrolling through his Starkpad now. “I still expect him to cook and clean. Those omelets this morning were fantastic, and I don’t remember the last time someone ironed the sheets here.” He looked over the top of his glasses frames at Steve with an impish smile, and Steve grinned back. “He’ll be okay,” Tony said gently. “Let’s face it, the fact that you actually care if he’s safe and reasonably happy puts you in a completely different universe from the last guy…”

“The lowest of bars to clear,” Steve muttered.

“Still,” Tony insisted. “Give yourself a break. It’s not like you have any experience at this.”

And Steve had to admit Tony had a good point. As usual. 

+++

Mid-afternoon, Steve decided to check in on Loki again, and found him in Tony’s en suite bath scrubbing down the tilework. “Stop, Loki,” Steve said quietly, and Loki climbed to his feet, wiping his hands on the front of his pants. 

“How’s the work going?”

“Well, I think,” Loki said.

“Did you want to talk about your meeting with Doctor Kinross?” Steve asked.

“Not especially.”

Steve sighed sadly. “She told me, about what happened to you,” Steve admitted. “I’m sorry.”

“Well, it’s over now,” Loki said. “There’s nothing to be done.”

“Still…” Steve thought he should say something more, but didn’t know what. Then something occurred to him. “Wait, you’re talking. Without being asked direct questions! How did that happen?”

“I… I don’t know.” Loki seemed genuinely confused. 

“Come with me,” Steve said. “I need Tony’s opinion on this.” 

The two found Tony in his workshop, and Steve had to shout to make himself heard over the deafening noise Tony called music before Jarvis turned it down and Tony joined them. Steve quickly explained what had happened, and Tony had Loki arrange himself in a reclining chair.

“Jarvis, check the collar,” Tony said. “Any changes?”

“I am measuring slight changes in the energy signatures, sir,” Jarvis said, “but they are within the  
previous parameters.”

“Throw ‘em up,” Tony said, and his holographic screens appeared in space around him. Steve frowned at the various charts and data sweeping over them, trying to follow Tony’s movements as he combined and discarded various images on the screen.

“Fantastic…” Steve heard Loki whisper, and Steve turned to see Loki’s eyes sparkling with interest. 

“Do you understand this?” Steve asked, and Loki shook his head slowly.

“Not at all,” he admitted, “but I have been underestimating Stark. I was not aware he was a wizard of your realm.”

Steve was about to argue that Tony was a scientist, not a wizard, when he remembered that to Loki, magic was just another form of technology. 

Tony turned back to them suddenly, pointing at Loki. “There, just there,” he said. “What did he just say?”

“He thinks you’re a wizard,” Steve said, amused, and Tony grinned.

“Well, he’s not entirely wrong,” Tony agreed. “But was he answering a question?”

“No,” Steve said.

“Say something else,” Tony said to Loki. “Anything you want.”

And Loki opened his mouth, but… nothing. He raised one hand to his throat, then shook his head helplessly. 

Tony went back to his screens, his fingers moving nimbly. Steve could practically see the wheels turning in Tony’s head.

“There it is,” Tony said. “Jarvis, isolate. Show me everywhere that happens.” A series of pictures popped up on the screens, and Steve recognized them as snapshots of Loki around the tower. In most the demigod was alone, performing the duties he’d been assigned. “Now this one,” Tony said, pointing to another series of numbers. A new set of pictures appears, and Steve recognized most of them as the moments where Loki was fighting against the collar’s influence. Steve turned to Loki and saw a similar revelation cross the darker man’s expression.

“It’s a reward,” Steve said. “It rewards him for working by letting him talk more freely.”

“Makes sense,” Tony says, nodding. “You said the, the… pressure of the collar was relieved when you were given something to do. That’s good. That’s the collar’s purpose, to condition you to be… obedient.”  
Loki frowned angrily, so Steve jumped in.

“Not just obedient,” Steve corrected. “Helpful. Humble. It’s humility, not subservience.”

“Jarvis, keep monitoring,” Tony said. “Continuing correlating with these numbers. Alert me about anything anomalous.”

“Very good, sir.”

“We’re getting there, Skinny-boy,” Tony said brightly. “I’ll crack it. Trust me.”

Steve nodded at Loki. “He will, too. He’s caught the scent now. You okay with all this?”

Loki nodded, but Steve noted it looked a little wary. “Very well,” Steve said. “Dismissed, and resume duties.”

“Yes, master,” Loki said, and nearly fled the lab.

“He seem a little jumpy to you?” Tony said when he’d gone.

“He’s afraid of you,” Steve said. “Don’t take it personally, I think he’s kind of skittish around everyone after everything that happened. But if you could make him feel a little less like a… an _object_ it would be nice.”

“That actually hurts, Rogers,” Tony said, laying one hand over his heart. “As a matter of fact, the little psycho is growing on me, believe it or not. And what sort of monster would I be if I hurt a greasy hair on his helpless little puppy head?”

I know that,” Steve said. “I’m just not sure he knows that.”

“Well, I’ll try to be a little less Doctor Mengele and a little more Doctor Phil in the future,” Tony agreed. “Now let me get back to work. My daily intake of Metallica is dangerously low today.”

+++

Shortly before dinner, Pepper’s assistant, Ms. Arbogast, arrived with Happy Hogan, and a portable handtruck piled with file boxes. Steve greeted her in the kitchen and summoned Loki while they set the boxes on the floor.

“I thought since Mr. Loki would be available on a more-or-less full-time basis, I’d give him some of the more complicated tasks,” Ms. Arbogast said. “These are the items for the gift baskets for this year’s Maria Stark Foundation Holiday Gala. Now watch me carefully; there are a number of steps, but I’ll leave you one as a reference.”

Loki looked to Steve, who nodded reassuringly. 

Ms. Arbogast opened one of the file boxes, which held red, shiny cardboard. “First the boxes must be assembled,” she began, folding one sheet of cardboard into a box, and slotting together the sides and bottom. She talked and assembled the gift basket, opening file boxes as she went, creating a nest of glittering tissue paper, and adding gifts for the attendees, divided by male and female. At one point she produced a device to dispense “glue dots” to hold the items in place. Loki watched with intense concentration while Steve found himself astounded by the bounty that was included. There were electronics from Stark Industries, including a tiny learning robot toy less than three inches high and the latest iteration of Stark Spectacles. There were high-end cosmetics and chocolates, gift cards for spas, restaurants, and dog walking services, and star-shaped brooches and tie tacks set with glittering rubies and diamonds. Last of all was a large, glossy brochure with “The Maria Stark Foundation” printed in large letters across the front and a photo of a handsome older woman and what was obviously a teenage Tony on the back. Steve knew from his appearances at other MSF fundraisers that the money raised would fund everything from safe water in developing countries to advanced STEM programs at inner-city schools.

“Is all of that clear?” Ms. Arbogast asked, setting the attractively arranged basket on the table, and Loki looked to Steve again.

“Answer, Loki,” Steve said quietly, feeling very self-conscious.

“Yes, Madam,” Loki said politely. “Thank you for your kind instruction.” What might have sounded like false flattery from anyone else sounded perfectly sincere from Loki, and Ms. Arbogast blushed lightly. 

“It was my pleasure,” she said. “And it certainly takes a lot off my plate. Captain, I know you’ll be attending the gala, so I shall see you there. Let me know when these are done, and I’ll have someone come by to collect them.”

“Yes, thank you,” Steve said, seeing her and Happy back to the exit. When he returned to the kitchen, Loki was looking around at the boxes with some distress and rocking from foot to foot. “Loki, what’s wrong?” Steve asked. “Did Ms. Arbogast overwhelm you?”

Loki seemed to hold himself still with some effort. “No. I am not sure what you want me to do. The collar is…” He scrabbled at the metal band with his fingers. “It is trying to direct me two places at once.”

Steve’s stomach twisted suddenly. “Loki, stop,” he ordered. “Return to rest position.” 

And Loki dropped heavily to his knees, head down.

Steve took a deep breath, tried to center his thoughts. “I’m sorry,” Steve said. “That was careless of me. These baskets can wait. Please resume today’s duties.” And Loki climbed to his feet and nearly bolted from the room. Steve fell into one of the chairs, his head in his hands.

+++

Loki returned about an hour later, and silently began to prepare dinner. Steve had moved the file boxes out of the way in the meantime, then tried to distract himself with one of the Starkpads that Tony seemed to scatter around the tower rooms like throw pillows. He watched Loki as he took out food and utensils, and pots and pans. Tony had decided to challenge him a little, and Steve was regretting it now as he watched how complicated it was to make lasagna. Finally, Loki slid the pan into the oven, tidied up the bowls and pans, then set to work chopping tomatoes and cucumbers for the salad.

“Loki, how are you doing?” Steve asked quietly.

“I am doing well, master,” Loki said mechanically, and Steve felt his stomach twist again. 

+++

At dinner, Tony’s praise of Loki’s cooking was effusive, and, Steve thought, authentic. And Loki actually seemed pleased, the collar allowing him the freedom to comment favorably on the unfamiliar dish, though he only ate a small amount, filling up on the vegetables instead. When they were done, Steve brought out a pad and paper. 

“Loki, I’m going to have you concentrate on the baskets for Pepper tomorrow,” he said, jotting notes on Loki’s duties for the following day. “Is that okay with you?”

“Yes,” Loki said, then after a slight hesitation, he was able to add, “I am actually pleased to be able to help in this way.”

Steve looked up in surprise and saw Tony had done the same. “I’m glad to hear that,” Steve said, and Loki nodded, going back to his meal.

+++

Loki seemed almost cheerful (well, cheerful for him) as he tidied up after breakfast and began arranging the file boxes around the table and counters. When Steve checked on him later that morning, Loki had worked out a system of filling multiple baskets at once, which seemed both faster and less tedious, and there were already several neat rows of baskets along one wall.

“These look really nice,” Steve said, and Loki gave a small, but proud, smile. 

“Thank you,” Loki said. “I was able to look through the small tome there,” Loki indicated a short stack of the foundation brochures, “and I believe Mr. Stark’s event will be a most impressive show of his largesse.”

“Well, it’s not just Tony,” Steve explained. “The purpose is to honor people who have donated significant amounts of money to the charity. You know, they give a couple of thousand dollars, Tony serves them a fancy dinner, and they get to mingle with other rich and famous people.”

Loki frowned slightly, giving this some thought. “Interesting,” he said. “Things are done somewhat differently here on Midgard.”

Steve picked up one of brochures and began leafing through it. The first few pages had pictures of the Foundation’s various programs with smiling children at village schools in Haiti, a doctor examining a tiny baby in India, and a diverse group of teenagers in safety goggles and matching t-shirts showing off their “combat robot.” Then the specific events at the gala itself, with performances by popular singers and remarks by Tony and other leaders of industry and political figures. Then, Steve saw that apparently “Captain America” would also be speaking and posing for photos. _So glad Tony asked,_ he thought with a slight eyeroll, although, to be fair, Steve was pretty much a guaranteed yes for anything where charity events were concerned.

And then Steve had a sudden, horrible thought; the gala was only a few weeks away. What would he do with Loki?

And then, because apparently the universe couldn’t let him deal with one problem before serving up another, Clint and Natasha exited from the elevator.

Loki was just able to mutter, “oh, shit,” before the collar decided that he’d had enough free will for the moment, and his teeth snapped shut.

Steve moved to put himself between the two agents and his charge. “Loki, get to your room and lock the door,” he said, and he heard Loki move and start sprinting for the stairwell.

“We’re just here to talk,” Natasha said.

“So talk.”

“We’re here to apologize,” Clint said. “What I did was cruel and sadistic, and if you keep him on a short leash, I promise not to hurt him again.”

Steve crossed his arms.

“But think about it from Clint’s perspective,” Natasha said defensively. “Loki completely controlled him. Made him murder people he knew, his colleagues…”

“Natasha, I got this,” Clint said curtly. “What she said is true, but it still doesn’t excuse me. I should have trusted you not to bring him among us if he were any sort of a threat.”

Steve relaxed his posture slightly, and softened his voice. “I understand your anger,” he said. “And I did intend to give you the news myself and try to explain, so I’m sorry for how that happened, too. But this whole situation is complicated. We’re just starting to figure out how much. I guess, just consider Loki under my authority and my protection, okay? You two don’t have to worry about him at all.”

“Agreed,” Clint said, nodding, and Steve nodded back, but Natasha slid past him to look at the half-finished gift baskets.

“So what’s all this?” she asked. “Arts and crafts?”

“He’s doing some work for Pepper to get ready for Tony’s charity thing next month.”

Natasha picked up a vial of Annick Goutal perfume from a jumble on the table. “Fancy,” she said. 

“You didn’t come here to discuss the Stark Foundation swag bags,” Steve said, using the expression he’d most often heard Tony use at their various events. “I need your assurance you’ll leave Loki alone.”

“Please,” Natasha scoffed. “And deprive you of your little minion? But honestly, Rogers, if he were my responsibility I’d make him understand what punishment really is. He needs discipline, and lots of it.”

“Your opinion has been noted,” Steve said. 

Natasha returned to Clint’s side, waving one hand airily. “Fine, I promise not to damage, defile, or disfigure the little fuckup as long as he’s restrained.”

“You’re a real soft touch, Romanoff,” Steve said. “Just leave him alone, okay, and I’ll keep him out of your way.”

Natasha saluted in the most sarcastic way possible, and Steve gave them a good fifteen minutes before going to fetch Loki from his room. He found the demigod huddled in his bed, and though the temperature inside the room was at a decidedly chilly level, Steve knew that wasn’t why Loki was shaking.

Steve sat on the end of Loki’s bed, and gave the most reassuring smile he could. “They’re gone,” he said. “Do you want to talk about how you are?”

Loki squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head. 

“Do you want to just go back to work?” Steve asked, and Loki nodded, still looking miserable.

“Alright, resume your duties,” Steve said, and Loki rose from the bed and left. 

Steve gave himself an hour distracting himself in other parts of the tower before returning to the kitchen to check on Loki again. Two more rows of gift baskets had joined the others by the wall, and Loki was at work on still more. 

“Looks good,” Steve said. “You’re going pretty quickly. When do you think you’ll have them done? Tony can let Pepper know so they can get picked up.”

Loki paused and looked around at his progress. “Tomorrow afternoon, I think,” he said. “Perhaps a bit longer if I am assigned additional duties in the meantime.”

“Do you like this kind of thing?” Steve went on. “I mean, compared to cooking and cleaning?”

“My feelings about the tasks assigned to me are not relevant,” Loki said, “but all things being equal, I do prefer work where I don’t have to get wet or dirty, so…” 

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Steve said, turning to pour a cup of coffee.

“It’s not your fault,” Loki said, and Steve turned back.

“What?”

Loki kept his hands busy and his eyes on his work, and Steve realized he was doing so in order to continue speaking. “I know you’re doing your best,” Loki continued, his voice low. “You need not torment yourself with remorse over every slight hurt I might suffer. I… I trust that I will be as safe as it is possible for you to make me, and I am deeply grateful for that. Especially…” And Loki’s words were stopped in his throat. He looked up at Steve then, the expression in his eyes sliding from pained to bemused. Steve found himself smiling back.

“Did you want to finish that thought?” Steve asked, and Loki shook his head, returning to his work.  
Steve sat at the table opposite, and regarded Loki over the puffs of tissue paper and ribbon. “I appreciate you saying that,” he said. “I… I want this to work out for you. You’re obviously very intelligent, Loki, and with your powers… you could do so much good.”

Loki looked up again, startled, and Steve continued. “I’ll do whatever I can, okay?”

Loki held his gaze for a long moment, then nodded again.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There’s a household accident. Loki gets hurt. Tony has a brainstorm. The boys have an outing. Tony goes out of town. There is a snowstorm. Loki talks about his past. Tony hosts Thanksgiving dinner and makes an observation. Loki makes a request.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mind the tags, I'm updating them as I go, but don't read them if you want to be surprised.

A week and a half later, Steve felt like things had finally become a routine. Loki would prepare their meals, do regular chores to keep the place reasonably tidy, then spend several hours doing paperwork for Ms. Arbogast. There also seemed to be a positive effect on Loki, as the restriction of the collar seemed to loosen, allowing him to speak more freely and lengthening the amount of time he was allowed to read or look after himself. Steve noticed he was able to take more care washing and arranging his hair, sometimes pulling it back in the braided styles similar to the ones Thor sometimes wore. 

And Thor, himself, true to his word, had visited a few days before. Steve had given Loki permission to speak with his brother freely, and the God of Thunder had lifted his brother into a crushing embrace, then held him in the shelter of his arms while they spoke in whispered tones Steve would have thought Thor totally incapable of, based on past experience. 

The visit was short, but Thor thanked Steve and Tony for harboring Loki safely, and Steve especially for his kind authority over the trickster god. Afterwards, Loki had seemed calmer, a rare contentedness on his face, and Steve was glad. 

Which was why it was such a shock to be awakened one morning by Jarvis broadcasting loudly, “Captain Rogers, please come to the kitchen immediately. There is an emergency!”

Steve sprinted there to find Loki in what Tony had referred to as his “feedback loop,” shifting helplessly from foot to foot, his back to Steve. A quick glance told him what had happened. While preparing coffee, Loki had dropped the pot of the hot liquid, and it had shattered at his feet, which had been cut by the glass and burned by the coffee. Worst of all, he was still trying to follow his command to make coffee, while the complicated machine spewed steam and boiling water over his hands. 

“Loki, stop!” Steve shouted, and Loki froze. Steve jerked the coffee maker’s cord out of the wall, then scooped Loki into his arms like a damsel in distress, heading back towards their rooms. He felt Loki trembling and heard the hitching sobs in his throat. “Jarvis, start running a cool bath in Loki’s bathroom,” he ordered as he went.

“Shall I run it at Mr. Laufeyson’s preferred temperature?”

“Is it cold?”

“Approximately 7 degrees Celsius, Captain Rogers,” Jarvis answered.

“That’s pretty damn cold,” Steve muttered, as he reached Loki’s door and kicked it open, and carried the demigod through to the bath, which was already half-full. Steve debated attempting to remove Loki’s clothes about half a second before just dumping him fully clothed into the tub. Even though Steve considered the water downright frigid, Loki slid in with an audible sigh, and Steve noticed with dismay that the water turned a definite rosy color from the blood on Loki’s feet. 

“Lift your feet up, so I can see them,” Steve directed when Loki’s distress had seemed to ease. Loki raised them out of the water and Steve gingerly prodded the shallow cuts.

“This isn’t too bad,” Steve said. 

“No, it isn’t,” Loki said, his words drawn out with a relieved sigh. “I was able to resist enough.”

“Still trust me with your life?” Steve said bitterly.

“I do,” Loki said, even managing to chuckle a little. “In the house of my last master I burned myself tending his fireplace, and was punished for crying out and disturbing his studies. This was but a misstep. Give it no more thought.” He held up his hands. “You see? No damage done.”

Steve slumped in relief. “Thank God,” he said. 

Loki looked down at himself. “I will need a change of clothes, though.”

“I’ll get them,” Steve said, getting to his feet. “You finish up and dry off.”

When Steve returned to the bathroom, Loki was standing in the draining bathtub rubbing a towel over his hair. He’d stripped off his wet clothes, and Steve was glad to see that the bruises he’d had when he’d first arrived had mostly faded, and the scars’ vividness had dulled to mere pink lines. As his eyes traveled down the planes of Loki’s stomach, he also thought that he looked less starved, and more sinewy muscle. Then, almost against his will, Steve found his eyes straying to the tangle of black hair below Loki’s belly and his cock that nested there, as pale as the rest of him. Steve thought immediately of Dr. Kinross’s description of what lay just out of sight. _Intersex_ , she had called it, and all Steve could think was: _How would that work?_

“You can look more closely, if you like,” Loki said, his voice eerily calm, and Steve looked up, startled, to find Loki staring back. “The humans I’ve bedded have always been curious.”

Steve felt his cheeks flush with heat, and he turned away quickly. “N-no, I’m sorry,” he said quickly. “I shouldn’t have…”

“It’s all right,” Loki said, and Steve thought he might have been laughing. “The Asgardians found it monstrous, but your kind was always so charmingly inquisitive.”

Steve set the dry clothes on the counter. “No, it’s alright,” he blurted. “Get dressed and resume duties.” And he practically fled the room, heading straight to the kitchen to clear away the spilled coffee and broken glass. He looked at the coffee machine with narrowed eyes, really wanting to pull it into pieces, but knowing it probably cost more than everything he owned, he sighed and looked up at the ceiling.

“Jarvis, is this thing broken, or does it just need a new pot?”

“There are replacement carafes in the dish cupboard in the storage room,” Jarvis said. “Shall I alert Sir to bring one up on his way to breakfast?”

So Tony was already up and in the workroom. Good to know. “Yeah, do that,” Steve said, knowing the lack of immediate gratification regarding the coffee situation would not please Tony at all. 

“Very well.”

As it was, Tony and Loki both arrived in the kitchen at nearly the same moment. Jarvis must have told Tony what had happened, if his guilty look in Loki’s direction was any indication, but he went straight to the coffeemaker, put the pot on the heating element, then took a screwdriver and two clamps from his pocket and set to getting it operational again. Loki simply nodded in Steve’s direction, an unreadable expression on his face, and got to work at the stove preparing French toast.

“I’m sorry if it’s broken,” Steve said. “It was an accident.”

“No, it’s fine,” Tony said, waving the apology away. “I’ve been looking to upgrade this thing anyway.” He glanced over at Steve. “Everything else okay?”

Steve sighed, settling into one of the chairs. “Not really,” he said.

“Master, I told you…” Loki began, sounding slightly exasperated.

“Are you going to tell him not to worry?” Tony interrupted. “Because that is a pointless waste of your time.”

“Look, I just think we should be able to figure out a way to get Loki to stop _himself_ if he’s in some sort of danger,” Steve said. “Even your robots can put fires out.”

Tony turned so suddenly Steve and Loki both jumped. “I’ve got it,” he said. “At least I think I do. Wait here, I’ll be right back.” 

He left the kitchen, moving as briskly as he could without actually breaking into a run, leaving Steve and Loki to stare at each other in confusion. “I truly am unharmed,” Loki said after a moment. “I am not able to lie, you know.”

“I didn’t think you were lying,” Steve said. “But… what about next time? What if I have to, to… go fight aliens, or something? Do I just… park you somewhere and hope the building doesn’t collapse on you? I’m not some old lady who gardens all day. I need to find a way to keep you safe when I’m not around.”

Loki seemed about to say something more, but Tony burst back into the kitchen and slapped several sheets of very large paper on the table, covering most of the surface. “I can’t believe I didn’t think of this before, considering I’ve been describing his behavior in terms of programming,” Tony said excitedly. “He doesn’t need a list, he needs a flowchart.”

Steve frowned. “A what?”

Tony put a small plastic sheet on top of the papers. It had several different-shaped openings cut in it: rectangles, diamonds, ovals, and so on. Then he took out a mechanical pencil and clicked the button twice. “It’s a way of thinking about computer programs,” Tony explained, using the plastic sheet as a stencil to draw an arrangement of shapes and connect them with arrows, “but you can also use it to work out different problems. Look, we’ll start here at the top: Make coffee…”

Steve watched and listened as Tony wrote various instructions inside the shapes, and showed how actions followed one another depending on the outcome. Some of the words were new to Steve, but he found he was able to understand Tony’s general descriptions easily. He noticed Loki’s interest, too, as the demigod kept looking over his shoulder at the growing pattern of shapes and words. Tony quickly added more, setting up plans if Loki was injured or if there were an emergency.

By the time Loki had plated the meal (and set it on top of the paper, at Tony’s insistence) they had a more or less complete chart for Loki’s breakfast routine, with plans accounting for the need to stop if there was an accident, or to seek help if it was something worse.

“Loki, what do you think?” Steve asked. “Will it work?”

Loki gave the chart careful study, remaining silent for several minutes as he followed the various paths of shapes and arrows.

“This is quite ingenious,” he said at last. “Did you conceive of this system, Stark?”

Tony gave a huff of laughter. “No, this was already pretty established by the time I started programming. Which was age four, by the way.” He added this last part more quietly, and Steve grinned at his friend’s usual lack of modesty. “As I said, I should have thought of it weeks ago.”

“It should work,” Loki agreed. “May we try this tomorrow?”

“Absolutely,” Steve said excitedly. “Tony, could we write up some more of these, do you think?”

“Even better, why don’t you both come to the workshop with me after breakfast, and we’ll work them out on the computer. We should be able to construct most of your routines by lunch. Then we’ll load them onto a holographic projecting bracelet, and you’ll have access to them any time.”

“Tony, if this works…” Steve said hopefully.

“It’ll work,” Tony said confidently. “Now eat up. Chop chop. We’ve got work to do.”

It did take a little longer than Tony’s original estimate, but by dinner they had what they thought was a pretty comprehensive library of Loki’s usual duties diagrammed out. And although Loki said it was not necessary, as he could memorize them all instantly, Tony still programmed one of his Stark-bangles with all of them for Loki to reference easily.

And Steve thanked Tony upwards of twenty times in the course of the day. 

At bedtime, Loki lingered in the hall with Steve for just a moment. “I want to thank you for all you are doing for me, truly,” Loki said quietly. “I was… so frightened when Thor first brought me here, and you and Stark have been nothing but kind to me.”

“Of course,” Steve said warmly. “I just… I hope it’s been helpful for you. I’d rather have you as an ally than an enemy.”

Loki nodded. “It is so different here. I wish…”

The silence lengthened, and Steve frowned. The collar had been much less restricting lately. Why was it kicking in now?

“No, never mind,” Loki finally said. 

Steve smiled kindly. “Okay, good night, then,” he said. “I’m anxious to see how Tony’s flow charts work tomorrow. Get a good night’s sleep.”

“I will,” Loki said. “Good night.”

For a reason he couldn’t quite figure out, it took a long time for Steve to fall asleep.

+++

Breakfast went well. So well, in fact, that Steve decided to go for a run for the first time since Loki’s arrival. Jarvis agreed to monitor things and alert Tony if there was a problem, but by the time Steve returned, Loki was deeply engrossed in his latest project for the Stark Foundation, mailing out information about the silent auction being held at the Gala. Steve pulled a dish towel out of a drawer and began to wipe the sweat from the back of his neck. “How’s it going?” He asked.

Loki looked up, and seemed to freeze for just a moment, then blinked slowly. “It seems to be going well,” he said finally. “The charts Stark devised seem to relive a good deal of pressure from the collar.”

“Are you sure?” Steve said. “Because you kind of had a little stutter there.”

Loki gave a sort of nervous chuckle. “No, I am well. That was just… Did you see this? They are auctioning some beautiful things at the benefit.”

Steve slapped his forehead angrily. “Damn it,” he said. “I keep forgetting about that. Although… maybe if these charts are working I might be able to leave you alone for a few hours…”

“Or I could join you,” Loki said casually.

Steve blinked in surprise. “Really? Do you think..?”

“I think this new system will allow me to follow far more sophisticated instruction,” Loki said. “And it’s not like I haven’t served at feasts before, although your celebrations are not so elaborate as those on Asgard…”

“I wouldn’t make you attend as a servant, Loki,” Steve said. “It would be a night off for you.”

Loki looked up again, surprised. “Do you speak verily? It would be most unconventional for a slave…”

“Stop,” Steve said, holding up one hand. “You’ve put a lot of work into making this Gala succeed. The least you could do is go and enjoy yourself. We’ll talk to Tony at dinner and see if we can devise some charts for Gala-type things. You know, wining and dining, small talk, dancing. You know, if you really want to go.”

He watched Loki as the alien appeared to consider it, then saw Loki touch his collar lightly, and remembered he’d given the command to “stop.”

“Resume,” Steve said, his cheeks coloring slightly, and Loki went back to his paperwork.

“Yes, I think I would like that,” Loki said quietly.

“Great,” Steve said. “We’ll talk more at dinner.”

+++

Tony agreed to work out some charts, but suggested they ought to do some “field testing” before the Gala.

“I’ll tell you what,” Tony suggested. “My combat robot team at NYU is fighting a couple of skirmishes at the ‘Manhattan Machine Melees’ this Friday night. I was just going to run by and give them a pep-talk that afternoon, but why don’t we make a night of it. Give the kids a thrill.”

“Only about half of that made sense to me,” Steve said, “but sure, why not?”

“Loki, you’ll need a suit,” Tony went on. “Jarvis can give you an assist with that. And why don’t we hit Le Voilier for some seafood and drinks beforehand.”

“Well, assuming Le Voilier is a restaurant and not an actual boat, that sounds nice, too,” Steve said, and  
Tony gave a wry smile. “How’s that sound to you, Loki?”

“I… Do you think it will be safe?” Loki said. 

“I’ll watch out for you,” Steve said.

“And it won’t just be the three of us,” Tony said. “Happy’ll be there. Maybe Pepper, if I can talk her into it, but she’s not a big fan of combat robots. Maybe a few other people. You’ll blend right it.”

Loki set his mouth firmly, as though trying to steel himself. “Very well,” he agreed.

+++

“A few other people” turned out to be closer to twenty-five, as the news that Tony Stark and Captain America were going to personally attend an event that usually consisted of a few hundred college students in a converted oyster canning plant required the inclusion of bodyguards, handlers, publicists, hangers-on, and people whose job, as far as Steve could tell, was simply to hold Tony’s things. And Loki, who, while not looking entirely out of place in an impeccable black suit and whose charted “routines” seemed to have him moving smoothly through the evening, nevertheless kept his focus almost entirely on Steve, and never more than a step away. 

At the restaurant, Loki sat quietly, and when Steve asked, he praised the food effusively and insisted he was well. But when they arrived at “The Combat Robot Coliseum,” it was pandemonium. Thousands of students had jammed themselves into the cannery, and the noise was deafening (luckily, one of the entourage distributed earplugs.) They made their way slowly through the mob to a section set aside on a platform above the crowd, Tony front and center, Pepper on one side and Steve on the other, and Loki just behind Steve. 

Tony had explained the basic concept to them earlier, but that hadn’t fully prepared Steve for the spectacle of machines the size of industrial lawnmowers pickaxing, sledgehammering, chainsawing, and flamethrowing one another into piles of scrap. Tony’s “team” was a group of six very earnest students who all wore matching t-shirts with the Stark Industries logo on the back and Iron Man’s face on the front. Their robot, “Peacemonger,” was painted in Tony’s signature red and gold, and was basically a rapidly rotating drum with projections that tore chunks off any other robots that got close, and after three rounds seemed near-unstoppable.

Steve found the whole thing silly but entertaining, but Loki absolutely _loved_ it, shouting encouragement to the robots he favored in his flowery Asgardian vernacular until the collar shut him down and Steve had to give him a direct order to cheer as he wished. When Tony’s team emerged victorious at the end of the evening, Tony had joined them on the winner’s podium where he’d soaked up the idolization of the crowd like a Roman emperor, and then had pledged to upgrade the cannery to a state-of-the-art arena by the following year.

In the limo riding home, Steve found himself strangely cheered by Loki’s enthusiasm, and found himself grinning at the flush in Loki’s cheeks, and the animated way he moved his hands. He wondered where this Loki had been all this time, and hoped he’d stick around. When they reached the tower and walked to their rooms, Loki began to come down from his excitement, and he reeled slightly as the flood of adrenalin ebbed in his blood. Steve chuckled, knowing very well the feeling.

“You should go to bed,” Steve said. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

Loki smiled then, a genuine one, full of warmth, and he took Steve’s hands in his, folding his cool, long fingers over them. “Thank you, Steve, so much,” he said, then let go and retreated into his room.  
Steve entered his room and sat heavily on the bed. His hands seemed warm where Loki had touched him, and it only occurred to him after several moments that Loki had called him by his name.

+++

Steve woke up just before dawn, and decided he needed to run. An hour, twenty-five miles, and a hot shower later, he was at the kitchen table with Tony and Loki, enjoying coffee and waffles. Loki still seemed to be riding his feelings from the night before, and seemed almost sweet, or as sweet as it was possible for a millennium-old trickster god to be. 

Even Tony noticed. “You seem pretty blissed out,” he said. “Is there something in the waffles I should know about?”

Loki gave a sly smile, and looked pointedly at Steve, touching his collar with his fingertips, and Steve realized he’d probably depleted his “slack” overnight. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” Steve asked, grinning, and Loki nodded.

“Go ahead.”

“I never expected to ever enjoy myself like that again,” Loki confessed, his voice warm and buoyant. “To feel the constant fear ease, if just for a few hours. You have given me a precious gift, and I am so grateful. If this is what my father meant me to learn, then perhaps he was wise after all.”

“And I think that’s what certain members of the mental health field would call a ‘breakthrough,’” Tony said. “Congratulations.”

“I know you speak in jest, Stark,” Loki said, “but you shall not lower my spirits today.”

“Well, I’m glad,” Steve said. “It looks good on you.”

Loki smiled again. “Thank you, master,” he said.

“Oh, it’s back to ‘master,’ is it?” Steve teased. “You can call me Steve, you know. You did last night.”

“Very well,” Loki began, but then his teeth snapped shut. A moment later, as though he was being forced to spit out something foul, he muttered, “Master.”

And like that, the warm mood was gone.

“I’m sorry, Loki,” Steve said, feeling like a class-A heel, but Loki only shook his head, managing another small smile before he rose to clear the dishes.

“By the way,” Tony said, changing the subject, “I’m going out of town for a few days. Pepper wants me to put in an appearance at some shareholder thing. You know how it is.”

“Not really,” Steve said, “but I’m sure we’ll manage okay.”

+++

Tony left in the early afternoon, and a little bit before Loki would prepare dinner, Steve sought him out, hoping the collar had eased its hold enough for him to speak more freely. Steve sat at the table and watched Loki fold papers and slip them into envelopes. Ms. Arbogast had brought something called a “bone folder” to add to Loki’s growing collection of office supplies, and he ran it firmly over each fold to make the crease sharp. Steve remembered that Loki’s favored weapon had been knives, and he held the tool with the same elegance of movement.

After a moment, Loki spoke. “It seems we still have things to learn about the collar’s limitations,” he said. “But I am still grateful for last night.”

“I’m glad, Loki, really,” Steve said. “I probably had more fun watching you enjoy yourself than I had watching the fights.”

Loki looked up. “Really?” 

“Really,” Steve said. “I hope the Gala is just as fun.”

“I am looking forward to it,” Loki allowed. “Perhaps you and I…”

Steve frowned. This didn’t seem to be the collar. “What?” he asked.

“Never mind,” Loki said, going back to his folding.

Steve waited another minute, but it seemed that was all Loki was going to say. 

“So, it was pretty cold this morning,” Steve said, trying to draw Loki back into conversation. “I wouldn’t be surprised if we had snow in the next few days.”

“How delightful,” Loki said, and he actually did sound pleased. 

“You like the snow?”

“I do,” Loki said. “The first time I saw snow was on Jotunheim, and by the time I returned to Asgard, I had been forever changed.”

“What do you mean?”

Loki smiled sadly, not looking up this time. “It is a long and distressing story, master,” he said. “Perhaps better told another time.” 

There was another pause, but before Steve could fill it, Loki added, “please do not apologize again. You cannot mend every wrong ever done to me, though it pleases me that you try.”

And Steve couldn’t think how to answer that, so he said nothing.

+++

When Steve woke the next morning, his prediction had indeed come to pass, and Manhattan was being rapidly shrouded in feathery white snow. Steve was so anxious to see Loki cheerful again that he entered the alien’s bedroom to wake him, and found Loki curled in his bed.

“Loki, wake up,” Steve whispered, shaking Loki’s shoulder. Loki blinked quickly into wakefulness, and gave Steve a confused, but sleepy smile. “Go look out the window,” Steve said, and Loki rose and crossed to the curtain, pulling it aside with a jerk. 

The stunned, happy look on Loki’s face was totally worth it, in Steve’s opinion. He turned back, unable to speak yet, but with a look of such yearning, Steve could not resist. 

“Okay. Listen up,” Steve said, putting on what Tony called his “Captain’s voice.” “I want you to get into winter clothing, on the double. Do you understand?”

Loki nodded eagerly.

“I’ll meet you in the hallway in five. Dismissed.”

Loki nearly tumbled over himself scrambling for his closet, and Steve hurried back to his room to dress in his own cold-weather gear. When he exited into the hallway, Loki was there, bundled up and on his knees, but with a wide, expectant smile. 

“On your feet,” Steve ordered, and Loki scrambled up. “Follow me,” he barked, and they were down the elevator and out onto the empty, snowy streets in seconds. They pushed through sidewalk slush to the park and entered. It was completely deserted, the city having seemed to have come to an agreement to stay in, at least for now. 

“Alright, look alive,” Steve said. “I hereby order you to play, frolic, and otherwise have fun in this snow until you have enjoyed yourself thoroughly. Do you understand?”

“Yes, master!” Loki said sharply, though his smile was as wide as ever.

“Very good. Begin!”

Loki’s delight at being ordered to play in the snow was one of the most joyful sights Steve thought he had ever seen. The demigod spun and danced, the white flakes settling on his black hair and eyelashes like sugar on a cake. He rolled in snowdrifts and ran handfuls of it over his face and throat, sighing with contentment. It wasn’t until an hour or so later, when a group of children entered the park, similarly excited for the snowfall, that Loki finally came back to Steve’s side, his cheeks flushed and his eyes bright as diamonds.

“How are you doing?” Steve asked.

“I am very happy, master,” Loki said. “Thank you for this gift.”

“You are welcome,” Steve said, unable to stop grinning himself. “It actually makes me really happy to see you like this. Are you ready to go home?”

“For today,” Loki sighed. “But tomorrow, perhaps…”

Steve chuckled and started trudging back towards the tower, the snow noticeably deeper around his calves. “Come on then.” 

And then, to Steve’s utter surprise, Loki launched himself at Steve, knocking him flat on his ass. Loki gave an almost hysterical laugh, triumphantly straddling Steve’s thighs, that lasted all of a second and a half before the collar choked it in his throat and he threw himself away from Steve to kneel silently in the snow. Still, his eyes glittered with, yes, mischief, and Steve found himself laughing, too.

“I should dump a snowball down your back for that,” Steve scolded gently, but the look on Loki’s face told him clearly it had been worth the jerk on his leash. Steve climbed to his feet. “Alright, let’s go,” he said, and Loki rose smoothly to follow.

Back at the tower, Steve ordered Loki to dry his hair and change into dry clothes while he did the same. Afterward, he directed the demigod to sit and rest on the sofa. Steve still didn’t trust the coffeemaker, but quickly found packets of instant cocoa and prepared two mugs. He joined Loki and passed one mug to him.

“Drink, but slowly,” he instructed. “It’s hot. If it burns you, wait until it cools.” (Tony’s charts were really practical for helping think through various consequences and making allowances, Steve thought.) Loki gingerly took a few sips, and hummed lightly, a soft, blissful sound. Steve smiled fondly.

“It’s good, isn’t it?” Steve said, and Loki nodded. They remained there, in companionable silence, until the cocoa was done, and then Loki’s programming seemed to kick in, and he moved to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.

+++

Unfortunately, the snow only lasted a day. Steve tried to reassure Loki that November snow rarely lasted long, and that it would snow often and last longer next time, but the absolute crushed look on his face as he gazed out the window to see yesterday’s winter wonderland reduced to grimy piles of slush in the gutters almost broke Steve’s heart.

Luckily, the Gala was fast-approaching, and Ms. Arbogast was sending file boxes almost every day to keep Loki occupied. Steve also found that while he missed Tony, his absence did seem to change the shape of the rooms. Opened them up. Aired them out. Steve and Loki’s conversations took on a slower rhythm, and there was an easiness to them.

Steve still checked in often, sometimes just sitting and sketching while Loki stuffed envelopes or assembled mailers, and at some point, Loki built up enough notches or marks and would begin to speak. And Steve realized that sometimes, Loki just wanted someone to listen, so he did.

He heard stories of Loki and Thor as children, and of Loki’s mother, who had apparently passed while he was enslaved to his last master. Loki talked about Asgard, and magic, and pranks he had played in his youth, and Steve wondered idly what had gone wrong to make the Loki that had invaded Manhattan.

And then, the day before Tony was due back from his trip, Loki said softly, “I did have children once.”

Steve’s head snapped up, but Loki did not look at him. Steve said nothing, not quite believing Loki had said what he did, and not wanting to break whatever spell had drawn it from him.

“I could change my shape, then,” Loki continued, his voice almost without inflection, as though he was willing it not to break. “I laid with beasts and monsters and some of my children were… were… different… My family was horrified by them, but they were so beautiful to me. I was not allowed to keep them, of course, and was punished for bringing them forth. 

“Once I made myself a maiden, and bedded a Midgardian man. This was when we first came to Midgard, long ago. We belonged to one another for many years, but Odin had him and our little ones put to death, and again, I was punished.” 

Loki let out a slow sigh. “It is better this way, perhaps,” he said. “To take this from me. I have never managed these things well.” He fell silent, and Steve saw a silver tear slide down his pale cheek. 

“Loki,” Steve whispered, and the demigod’s dark head rose just a little. “Do you want… you can cry if you want to. I can leave…”

Loki reached out one hand and took Steve’s in it. Steve could feel the deep tremor working through him.

“Tell me to,” Loki said fiercely. “So I don’t have to stop.” 

“You cry as much as you want,” Steve said, and Loki pressed his face down into his arms and did so.

+++

Loki’s tears were hot and furious, but brief, and the rest of the day was subdued and quiet. Loki buried himself in his duties, and Steve found himself sketching the dark god, but not so much his true likeness as impressions of him. The curve of his back, or the tumble of his hair. Steve found that Loki’s outburst had disturbed him deeply. He knew, vaguely, that Thor and Loki and their family on Asgard had histories that were practically biblical in scale, and Loki was probably obfuscating his own role as much as possible without activating the collar’s restriction on outright lying, but still. There was no way to sugar-coat “little ones put to death.” No wonder Loki went crazy.

+++

Tony called that evening to see how they were doing, and to inform Steve of his return schedule. “By the way,” he added towards the end of the call. “Tell Loki not to worry about dinner on Thursday. I’m having the whole thing catered and everyone’s coming by.”

Steve frowned. “What’s Thursday?”

“Thanksgiving,” Tony said incredulously. “You know, turkey, pumpkin pie…”

“I know what Thanksgiving is,” Steve said. “But that’s not until next week. The last Thursday of November.”

“Uh, no,” Tony said. “I’m pretty sure it’s this week.”

“Since when?”

“Thanksgiving was established as the fourth Thursday in November by President Franklin Roosevelt in 1941,” Jarvis piped up.

“There you go,” Tony said. 

“And who’s ‘everyone?’” Steve asked.

“You know, the gang,” Tony said. “Thought I’d take the opportunity to smooth things over with the team. Plus Pepper, of course, and Happy, and a few other friends.”

Steve, from experience, knew this meant at least 10 more people, but he had two days to work himself up, and Tony would be back tomorrow and they could work out any charts they needed to for Loki, so it would probably be fine. 

“Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow then,” Steve said, and Tony rung off.

Since the whole conversation had taken place on speaker, Steve was not surprised to have Loki’s attention when he was done.

“Is Stark planning a feast?” he asked. “Here?”

“Yeah, but it will be fine,” Steve assured him. “No one’s going to stir things up during a big dinner party. You can just relax and enjoy it.”

“No,” Loki said. “I cannot. You need to assign me duties.”

“Loki, it’s a big holiday. You don’t…”

“Do you still not understand?” Loki said, his voice rising. “You cannot allow me to be idle, or I will end up silent upon my knees. You must order me to serve you.”

Steve rubbed his forehead. Of course, Loki was right, but the whole situation was just messed up.

“Make me your cupbearer,” Loki said. “It is an esteemed position, so I could serve you without the shame you wish to spare me.”

“Cupbearer?” Steve repeated. “What is that?”

“I would serve the drink, and whatever else you wished of me,” Loki said. “It is usually the most trusted slave in the household. An honor, really.”

“Jesus.” Steve shook his head, then threw up his hands. “Fine, be my cupbearer.”

“Very well,” Loki agreed.

+++

When Thanksgiving arrived, it seemed like the tower was filled with people, and Steve just pretty much stayed out of everyone’s way. Loki, his “cupbearer” for the day, never seemed more than an arm’s length away, and although Steve knew he was trying for inconspicuous, his height and unconventional looks made this practically impossible. 

Loki had dressed all in black, of course – trousers, shirt, and vest – and had done up his hair with a complicated arrangement of braids that was probably meant to make it look shorter, but ended up just making it look exotic. Steve had no idea what the rest of Tony’s guests thought, but interacting with the Avengers was awkward. Clint was pointedly ignoring both of them, while Natasha glared daggers at Loki. Bruce seemed like he’d rather be somewhere else (which was probably the case,) and Thor was watching Steve with what seemed like… suspicion. Which probably had something to do with why Tony had seemed so amused when Steve told him Loki would be the cupbearer for the meal.

All things considered, Steve was ready for the night to end.

Luckily, the meal was delicious, and Loki did keep everyone’s cups filled with wine, so tempers were mellowed, at least, but it being a Tony Stark party, things didn’t really break up until after midnight, and Steve didn’t get to his bedroom until almost 1. 

Loki, as he had been all night, followed right behind. In the hallway, Steve thanked him for serving.

“It was my duty, master,” Loki said, then added, “is that all you require of me?”

“Um… yes? I mean, what else would there be?”

Loki smiled slyly. “At one time, the cupbearer would have been bedded by the master after the feast,” he said. 

Oh. That explained Tony and Thor, then.

“No, thank you,” Steve said tersely, and Loki smiled more widely.

“Twas but a jape, master,” he said. “Pay it no mind. Sleep well.”

“You, too,” Steve said.

But before he fell asleep, the thought passed fleetingly through his mind: could Loki make jokes, or was that considered a lie?

+++

By the weekend, things were back to their usual routine, and the night of the Stark Foundation Gala was coming up fast, so Steve sought Tony out in his workshop to see what was expected. He found Tony reclined on one of his work chairs, twirling a mechanical pencil in his fingers. He looked up when Steve came near. 

“Hey, Jarvis was catching me up on things,” Tony said. “Sounds like you had fun.”

Steve gave an angry huff. “Really, Tony? You’re gone four days and can’t help spying…”

“Take it easy,” Tony said. “It wasn’t like that. You know I trust _you._ I’m just not sure about him yet. Can you blame me?”

“I guess not,” Steve admitted.

“Heard he was really excited about the snow.”

Steve gave a small smile at the memory. “He was. You’d have liked it. He was almost… sweet.”

“You know he’s into you, right?”

This brought Steve up short. It wasn’t the first time Tony had called someone’s attraction to him to Steve’s attention. At first, Steve had put it down to Tony’s imagination, especially when the person in question was a man, but as he’d gotten to know Tony better, Steve realized he really was particularly insightful about people. 

In fact, before he’d committed to Pepper, Tony had seemed to have an uncanny ability to zero in on the person in the room most likely to sleep with him without strings attached, and had done so with enthusiasm. Steve had also been surprised that Tony seemed less concerned with a potential partner’s gender than with how gorgeous, eager, and unlikely to talk to the tabloids they were, but now it was something Steve found he liked about the 21st century. In his younger days, a sexual proposition from another man was a confusing morass of shame, paranoia, and frustration, but now a polite “no, thank you” would suffice, with no harm done. Or, occasionally, a “sure, I’d like that.”

But Loki… that was something else.

“Tony, are you sure? I mean, he’s been… how could he even want…”

“It’s not surprising,” Tony said. “You’re probably the first person in years who’s treated him like a human being, let alone all the little pats you’re giving him. In his mind, he’s probably drawing little hearts with your name inside…”

“Tony, stop it,” Steve said. “It’s completely out of the question. He literally cannot say no to me. I feel awful enough just making him do office work. I am not even suggesting anything like that.”

“I’m just saying, sooner or later, you won’t have to,” Tony said. “He’s going to get enough leeway on that leash, and he’s going to go for it. I’ve seen that look.”

“What look?”

“At dinner the other night. The ‘I need to kiss this man or I’ll die’ look.”

“There was no look,” Steve scoffed. 

“He was standing behind you, but I was looking right at him,” Tony said. “Trust me.”

Steve shook his head. “Even if you’re right, Tony, I don’t like it. I mean, he’s been… been…”

“Raped?” 

“…Yeah.”

“Okay, Steve, here’s the thing,” Tony said, “and please don’t think for a minute I am minimizing any trauma Loki suffered, but rape isn’t sex; it’s assault. It’s about power, not desire. And this isn’t true of everyone, because nothing’s true of everyone, but it is possible to have loving, pleasurable sex after it. And if Loki _wants_ that, I’m thinking you’re the perfect person for him to be with.”

“Tony, I don’t even know if I want to be physical with Loki,” Steve said. “I mean… he’s… he’s Loki. And he’s my slave. That’s insane! How is that in any way not exploiting him?”

“Look, I’m just telling you, it’s coming,” Tony said. “And wouldn’t you rather hear it from me and give it some thought before he jumps you in the elevator some night.”

“I don’t think he’s going to jump me in the elevator.”

“Well, he’s going to do something,” Tony averred. “And sooner than you think.”

Steve fell into one of the other chairs, covering his face with his hands.

“And there’s another thing,” Tony said, and Steve peeked over the tips of his fingers.

“There’s a not insignificant chance that this is all some plan of his to get loose,” Tony said. “He’s far from stupid, and he’s probably forgotten more about magic than either of us could hope to learn in one lifetime. If there’s a way to slip that collar, he’ll find it.”

“Yeah,” Steve agreed.

“Just be careful,” Tony said.

+++

Of course, once Tony said it, Steve started to see it. The extra care Loki was taking with his clothes and hair. How Steve always seemed to get the larger and more carefully prepared portions at meals. How if Steve was in the room talking to Tony or on the phone, Loki would pause in his work and just listen for a moment. 

He would walk with Steve to their hallway each night and linger, making small talk and saying goodnight.

But Steve was also watching for the mask to slip. Loki was clever, and ruthless, but also erratic, and his control over his emotions was tenuous, at best. In the short time he’d been with them, Steve had seen him hysterical with fear, weeping with grief, and actually dancing with joy. If he was scheming, Steve was convinced there would be signs, and there simply… weren’t.

Then, the day before the Gala, at breakfast, Loki turned to Tony. “Will there be dancing there?” he asked.

“At the Gala? Yeah, probably,” Tony said. “Not the kind of dancing you’re used to, though.”

“And what sort of dancing do you think I am used to,” Loki said, an acerbic tone creeping into his voice.

Tony gave Loki a pointed look. “You know, waltzing, that sort of thing.”

“Court dancing, do you mean?” 

“If that’s what you call it,” Tony said. 

“And what sort of dancing do you expect at the party?” Loki said.

Tony gave Loki a hard stare, then, “Jarvis, toss up some video of the dancing at last year’s Benefit Gala.”

The large-screen TV across the room turned on, and video of a pretty young blonde woman singing a pop song appeared. Slowly the field of view expanded, showing people dressed in evening wear swinging their hips and waving their arms in time with the music. “Ever do this kind of dancing in Asgard?” Tony said, a little self-satisfied, Steve thought.

“Yes,” Loki said, almost sneering now. “At every funeral I ever attended. Although, we were not so restrained.”

Tony took a moment to let that sink in, then chuckled, breaking the tense mood. “Okay, fair enough, Warrior Culture,” he said. “I presume you bring this up because you’d like to dance tomorrow night.”

Steve thought he saw a slight blush on Loki’s cheeks. “I would, if I am allowed, yes.”

“I’m fine with it,” Steve said.

“Would you write up charts for me, then?” Loki asked, the sourness gone from his voice, replaced by a more supplicating tone. “I know I should not ask for favors from you…”

“No, it’s fine,” Tony said. “It shouldn’t take more than a few minutes.”

“Thank you,” Loki said, and there was sincere gratitude there, now.

Then, a few minutes later, as Loki cleared the table, Tony gave Steve a pointed look. Steve pretended to be engrossed in his coffee.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys attend the MSF Holiday Gala. There is dancing. Loki makes a confession. Steve and Loki have a bright idea, and finally talk for real. Loki writes, like, a lot. Thor pays a visit. Steve makes plans. Tony runs simulations. The boys have dinner.

Steve knew that in some strange way, the Gala had become important to Loki. Maybe it had been all the work he’d put into it, or maybe it was the promise of a rare few moments of freedom, but either way, that afternoon Steve called Loki to him.

“Okay, Loki, look sharp,” Steve commanded, knowing this was the best way to get around the collar’s programming. Loki knew it, too, and grinned.

“This is a big night, and you are expected to present yourself in such a way as to bring honor to this organization! Do you understand?”

“Yes, master!”

“You are to make yourself as clean and neat as an alter boy on Sunday morning! Do you understand?”

“Err,” Loki frowned. “I believe I can infer from context, master.”

“Good enough,” Steve said. “You are to dress for tonight in a smart and stylish manner! Do you understand?”

“Yes, master!”

“You are to conduct yourself in as polite and charming a way as I know you are capable of! Do you understand?”

“Yes, master!”

“Alright,” Steve said. “Make me proud. Dismissed!”

And there was just a moment, before he moved, where Steve saw an odd light come into Loki’s eyes, something trusting, almost hopeful. Then he cried out, “yes, master!” and ran for his room.

Steve took extra care on his appearance, too. He wore his dress uniform, every button polished. Finally he exited into the hallway to find Loki waiting for him. On his knees. Steve came up short for just a moment, just long enough to see how “make me proud” had expressed itself in Loki’s appearance. 

He was dressed in his black suit, as Steve had expected, as crisp and sharp as if it had been pressed only moments before. His hair was pulled back from his face with three thin braids on either side, and his long hair curled softly as it tumbled over his shoulders. He was holding his head perfectly still, his expression mild but his eyes practically glittering, and there was a flush of color in his lips. Steve thought for a moment he might have gotten some lipstick somewhere, but realized Loki must have bitten them to bring out the color. 

And because Tony had made the suggestion, and Steve couldn’t unhear it, he suddenly became aware of Loki’s otherworldly beauty. And the fact that he could, very easily, take Loki apart without the slightest resistance did something to Steve he really didn’t want to think about. Something he forced out of his mind. 

“Get up,” Steve said, maybe a little sharply, but _Jesus._ Loki’s eyes seemed to dim slightly as he stood, and Steve felt a pang of guilt.

“I’m sorry,” he said, trying to soften his words. “I’m just a little nervous about the speech.” Which was true, if not the entire truth. They started walking.

Loki smiled sympathetically. “Is there any way I can aid you?” he said. “I was trained on Asgard for diplomacy. Perhaps…”

Steve waved the suggestion away. “I’ll be fine once we get there,” he said. “I was a performer once, myself.”

Loki raised his eyebrows in surprise, and Steve laughed. 

“Oh, yeah,” he went on. “I knocked Hitler out nightly, twice on matinee days.”

“I… do not understand that entirely,” Loki admitted, “but I’m sure it was quite dramatic.”

“That’s one word for it,” Steve chuckled.

“I am rather a devotee of the dramatic arts myself,” Loki said. “Or I was, on Asgard. I am not as familiar with Midgard theatrics.”

“Well, you’ll get a taste tonight,” Steve said as they stepped into the elevator. “Tony tells me there are three different singers performing. No one I’ve heard of, but he seemed excited. Are you looking forward to dancing?”

“I am,” Loki confirmed. “Stark showed me some of your modern dancing on his viewing device. It was very interesting, and I am anxious to show you.”

Steve glanced over, thinking _that was an interesting choice of words,_ only to see Loki’s face flush pink. 

“I mean… on Asgard, it is favorable to have slaves who are graceful,” Loki said. “I hope I can bring you such esteem.”

“Since we don’t have slaves here, I’m not sure that’s applicable,” Steve said. “But I do want you to have fun, so I’ll enjoy watching you.” And that wasn’t awkward _at all._

Loki ducked his head in a way that was almost shy. “Thank you, master,” he said. 

They exited the elevator and out to a waiting car. Tony had left earlier with Happy, so it was a driver Steve didn’t know. He and Loki slid into the back and rode the short distance to the Gala location in silence.

They arrived to a mob scene. A red carpet led from the street to the entrance, and ropes on either side held back screaming fans, TV crews, photographers, and event security. Steve looked over at Loki, whose eyes had gone wide at the sight. 

“You okay?” Steve said, and Loki made a small, pinched-off sound in the back of his throat. 

The driver turned around. “Listen,” he said, “I just heard on the radio that the three limos behind us are Lady Gaga and her entourage. Captain, if you exit on the sidewalk here, I’ll pull up and your companion can exit on the street side. When Lady Gaga and her people start forming a crowd, he can just merge in and enter with them.”

Steve gave Loki a look. “You got that?” he asked, and Loki nodded.

Steve patted the driver’s shoulder. “Good thinking, son.” 

The driver grinned. “That’s how I got in last year,” he said. “Mr. Stark was so impressed, he offered me a job.”

Steve laughed, then touched Loki’s arm. “Be careful,” he said. “I’ll wait for you just inside.”

Loki nodded gravely, and Steve hopped out of the car. The crowds on both sides of the carpet erupted in cheers. Video floodlights burst on around him, turning the evening into midday, and reporters started yelling his name. He strode confidently up to the front door, glancing back as more cheers greeted a blond woman wearing what appeared to be a several birdcages filled with actual, live birds. Other people wearing similarly unusual costumes began to surround her, and Steve ducked inside as he saw Loki’s dark shape melt in among them. 

A few seconds later the outlandish group was moving past him, and Loki stepped up to his side. He wasn’t quite touching Steve, but Steve could see he was shaking nonetheless. 

“Are you okay?” Steve asked, and Loki nodded uncertainly. Steve put his hand in the small of Loki’s back. “It’s okay. You’re safe here,” he said, and he felt Loki still under his hand and saw his eyes flutter closed. 

“Thank you, master,” he said, his voice low.

“Let’s go in and find our table,” Steve said, dropping his hand. Loki fell into step behind him.   
It took awhile to work their way there. There were people who wanted to talk to Steve, get pictures together, and there were displays showing the work the Foundation engaged in around the world that they looked at, and then they had to look through the silent auction, too. They slid into their seats moments before Tony started his opening remarks.

Dinner ended up being a sort of tapas menu provided by a dozen or so of the city’s top chefs, resulting in a bill of fare that ranged from jackfruit barbecue sliders to a mango-infused foam. (Loki seemed so enchanted by the latter that Steve passed his serving over to him.)

Afterwards, there were several speakers who gave short talks. Pepper, of course, and Steve, but also the director of the Foundation’s clean water initiative and one of the members of the Combat Robot team. 

Then it was time for the entertainment. Steve still wasn’t used to modern music, though he was trying to catch up. It wasn’t that he disliked the popular songs, but there was a sameness to them, and they all seemed to blend together. It started in loud, with the thumping bass so typical of current dance music. Then the singer, a small, pretty girl with bright blue hair, encouraged the crowd to “get up” and “put your hands together,” and Loki had turned to Steve with such bright eagerness on his face that Steve laughed and gestured towards the dance floor, saying, “go ahead!”

And Loki had grabbed his hand with a fierce, “order me, so I won’t have to stop.”

“Get out there, now!” Steve growled. “And dance as long as the music is playing.”

Loki ran to join the crowd now making their way onto the parquet flooring in front of the stage, and within thirty seconds, Steve was pretty sure he owed Tony Stark a good pop in the mouth. One, for making Steve aware of Loki’s attraction to him, leading to very improper thoughts, and two, for apparently showing Loki the filthiest dance videos he could find. Because, really, what Loki was doing out there was positively indecent. 

He strutted and swayed, and rolled his hips in a way that didn’t seem entirely human. Other dancers came to him, and he arched and twisted against them, his pale eyes gone dark with ecstasy, his long fingers on their bodies and theirs on his. Steve heard his own breath speed up, felt his skin start to tingle. Before he could help himself, Steve was imagining Loki writhing beneath him and those clever hands on him.

And of course, at that moment, Loki turned to look at him and give him a smile that looked like sin, and Steve thought his heart would stop.

The rest of the night was a blur.

There was music, and people, and more food and drinks, and at some point an actress Steve thought he’d seen on movie posters at all the bus stops the summer before had purred into his ear, “that exquisite creature in black told me you’re his master… Kinky,” then slid away before Steve could react. And then one of the gift baskets Loki had put together was placed into his hands and he and Loki were being deposited back into their car.

They didn’t speak during the ride, but Steve found himself staring at Loki the whole way. Loki’s face was so flushed he almost looked feverish. Sometime during the evening, Loki had removed his tie and undone the top two buttons on his shirt, exposing the collar that lay there. The rosy glow extended down his neck and over his chest. 

And all Steve could think about was pressing his mouth against Loki’s throat and sucking until marks came up, and taking Loki’s long hair in his fists, feeling the sweat-damp strands underneath. Loki was still panting lightly from his time on the dance floor, making a sound almost like laughing with each exhale, and Steve could so easily imagine hearing that sound right in his ear as he…

Steve shook his head furiously and gritted his teeth. No, he had to stop thinking of Loki like this. Even if Loki did have some sort of schoolboy’s crush, for Steve to take advantage of it would be… well, Steve wouldn’t be able to live with himself, honestly. 

They got back to the tower, and then into the elevator. Loki finally turned to Steve, that devilish smile back on his lips, and Tony’s words came into Steve’s head. 

_He’s going to get enough leeway on that leash, and he’s going to go for it._

And suddenly Steve couldn’t stand it another second. He jabbed the red emergency stop button on the elevator and it shuddered to a halt. A brief look of fear passed over Loki’s face, replaced by confusion. Steve took a steadying breath.

“Loki, I need you to tell me,” he said, his voice surprisingly level. “Are you in love with me?”

Loki’s eyes widened in what was unmistakably fear, now. “I… I..,” he stammered, then one hand was around the collar while his other hand pressed into his mouth. He was biting down on his knuckles, so hard Steve knew he’d draw blood in a moment, and an agonized growling began in his throat. 

“Loki, stop!” Steve commanded, and Loki fell, like a broken doll, to his knees. Tears were streaming from beneath his eyelids.

“Son of a bitch,” Steve muttered, and Loki opened his eyes and blinked up at him. They looked at one another for what seemed like a long time. Steve saw the emotions warring on Loki’s face: fear, and shame, and misery, but there, under it all, a spark of hope. 

Steve hit the button again, and the elevator continued its ascent. Loki did not move from his knees, and Steve realized he must have used up every second of free will that the collar allowed him to fight back the words. 

The door opened on their floor, and Steve said, “follow me,” as he exited. He heard Loki fall into step behind him. When Steve reached his bedroom door he stood there for a long time. He should say something, he thought. Explain himself. Let Loki down easy, if that was even possible. But finally he just said, “go to bed, Loki,” and left him in the hall.

+++

Steve put off going to breakfast the next morning as long as possible, hoping against experience that Tony would fight past his hangover and beat him there, but ultimately the thought of Loki preparing the meal, serving it, and being forced to stand there until someone came to eat it got him up and out. To his absolute astonishment, Tony _was_ already at the table, wearing his clothes from the evening before.

“Hey, sleepyhead,” Tony called, and Steve realized Tony was still just a little drunk. What time had he gotten home?

“Just got in,” Tony said, answering Steve’s unspoken question. “You two should have stuck around. Things got really crazy once the band went home.” He took another bite of toast.

Steve looked at Loki, who quickly averted his own eyes and seemed extremely interested in scrambling some eggs. 

“Pepper texted me this morning, though,” Tony went on. “Accounting stayed up to count all the contributions and auction money and everything, and they’re saying it looks north of twelve million. That’s almost a million better than last year, so…”

“You should be proud, Tony,” Steve said. 

“Well, it’s not for me,” Tony said. “But my mom would have been happy.” 

“She is, Tony,” Steve said, and even though he gave his head a little shake, Tony didn’t contradict him.

Loki put a plate of bacon, eggs, and toast in front of Steve, and a moment later a mug of coffee. He still didn’t meet Steve’s eye.

“You feeling okay there, Loki?” Tony said. “I heard you were burning up the dance floor.”

Loki nodded, but did not speak.

“So much for that Asgardian constitution,” Tony said. “How much did you drink?”

Loki ignored him, and Tony looked at Steve.

“What’s his problem?”

And Steve suddenly knew; Loki was trying to build up credit on the collar so he could speak more than a few words. “Leave him alone,” he told Tony. “It was a rough night.”

Tony scoffed lightly, but went back to his Starkpad and coffee, and shortly afterwards retired to his room. Steve didn’t expect to see him the rest of the day.

Silently, Loki sat down with his breakfast. Steve noticed he was mostly moving it around his plate instead of eating, and finally asked, “did you want to talk?”

Loki looked up, and though he was trying to keep his expression blank, Steve could see the fear and anguish threatening underneath. Loki closed his eyes and nodded.

“Then talk to me,” Steve said. “Whatever it is you want to tell me.”

“I… did not mean for you to know,” Loki said. “I thought I could just be pleasing to you, and that would be enough.”

“If it’s any consolation, I didn’t know,” Steve said. “Tony figured it out.”

Loki cast an angry glance towards the elevator. “Treacherous Stark,” he hissed. 

“Hey, don’t blame Tony,” Steve said. “He’s just watching out for me.”

Loki looked down at his lap, and it was a moment until he spoke again. “You could order me,” he said.

Steve frowned. “What?”

“Order me… to satisfy you. I would do whatever you wanted…”

“No!” Steve was horrified. “No, Loki, I would never do that to you.”

“Perhaps… I would like it if you did,” Loki said, trying for casual and failing miserably.

“And what if you didn’t?” Steve said. “What if I hurt you, or you got scared? You wouldn’t be able to stop.”

Loki’s eyes closed again, and he looked utterly, hopelessly wretched. “Then we are at a deadlock,” he said. “Please… just leave me to my humiliation. My feelings are of no consequence to you.”

Steve took a deep breath. “You know, during the war, some of the boys had an expression. Maybe they still use it, I don’t know. When we were pretty deep in the weeds sometimes, one of the guys would say the situation was FUBAR. That stood for ‘fucked up beyond all reason,’ And right now, it’s the only description I can think of for what’s going on between us. I mean, I still don’t know what Odin was hoping to accomplish.”

“I suppose he thought at least I would die obedient,” Loki said bitterly. 

“See? Fucked up,” Steve said. “But here we are, and you’re pining for me, and I’m looking at you and thinking under different circumstances, I’d be… well, to use your words, I’d have bedded you already.”

Loki looked up in surprise. “Really?” he said, his voice little more than a squeak.

“Really,” Steve affirmed. “You’re very beautiful, Loki, I’m not going to lie.”

“Oh.” Loki’s gaze dropped back to his lap. 

“But I can’t order you to, to, just do whatever I want,” Steve said. “Horrible things have been done to you, and I don’t want any part of that. I don’t expect you to ever be thrilled with your whole situation, but I at least want you to feel safe, and maybe happy from time to time, and I can’t do that if I have to put you in a situation you can’t escape from, even if you think it’s something you want. It would be like when you dropped the coffeepot, and had to walk over broken glass…”

Loki looked up sharply, the hopeful spark suddenly back in his eyes, and Steve stared back with a dumbfounded expression.

“Oh, we are dumber than a sackful of hammers,” Steve said slowly.

“Indeed,” Loki agreed.

Steve sprang to his feet. “Jarvis, where’s Tony?”

“Mr. Stark is in his quarters preparing for bed,” Jarvis said.

“Tell him we need to talk to him,” Steve said.

There was a pause, then Jarvis said, “Mr. Stark has asked me to inform you that he is not to be disturbed unless the building is on fire or Anna Faris shows up naked. That’s a quote, by the way.”

“I gathered,” Steve said. “Alright, let me know when he’s up.”

“Very good, Captain Rogers.”

“Damn it,” Loki muttered under his breath.

“I’ll be honest,” Steve said, returning to his seat, “this is way too delicate an operation to attempt without Tony’s input. I just don’t trust myself.”

“With all due respect, master, I would tend to agree,” Loki said.

Steve pressed his lips together, thinking. “Maybe we ought to talk this out, take some notes,” he said. “Then we can all hit the ground running.”

“Very well.”

“So…” Steve was at kind of a loss, and found himself repeating one of Tony’s come-ons. “What are you into?”

Loki stared at him. “I beg your pardon?”

“You know,” Steve said, feeling himself start to blush. “What do you like to do, um, with a partner. Only answer if you want to,” he added quickly, before Loki was compelled to confess every dark fantasy a millennium-old demigod prince could imagine.

Loki’s cheeks pinked, too, but his smile turned sly. “I should very much like to kiss you,” he said. “And to feel your hands… upon me. I imagine your hands would encircle my waist completely.”

_Whoa. So Loki had given this some thought._ “I don’t think my hands are quite that big,” Steve said.

“Perhaps not,” Loki said. “It’s a pity I can no longer change my shape. I could have made myself into a maid so lithe and slender I could be bent back like a willow twig.” 

Steve’s eyes slipped slightly out of focus, and he breathed out with a little stutter. Loki’s smile slipped away and a look of worry shadowed his features. “Do you prefer women?” he asked, a tremor coming into his voice. “I know most Midgardians are not…”

“No, no,” Steve said reassuringly. “I like both. Maybe even prefer men a little, so…”

Loki sighed with relief. “I am glad to hear it,” he said.

“Can I ask you something,” Steve said. “It’s kind of personal. You don’t have to answer if you don’t want.”

Loki looked worried again. “Go ahead.”

“When you are… intimate,” Steve began, not sure how he was going to finish the sentence but going on anyway, “do you prefer doing so as a man or a woman?”

Loki frowned, confused. “I don’t…”

“I mean, I know you have both… parts,” Steve said, and Loki gave a knowing smile. 

“Yes, I knew your curiosity would return,” Loki said. “You’re such predictable creatures. It’s fortunate you are so charming.”

“Anyway,” Steve charged on, determinedly ignoring Loki’s teasing, “how do you like to… line things up?”

“In truth, it makes no difference,” Loki said. “I can be satisfied in various ways. It is more important…”

Steve waited a moment, but Loki said no more. “Did you reach your limit?” Steve asked. “Do you need another command?”

“No,” Loki said.

“Then, what?”

“I do not…” Loki sighed again. “I wish to keep it to myself.”

Steve gave him what he hoped was a reassuring look. “Okay.”

“But what of you?” Loki said. “How may I best please you?”

“Well, I think I’d like to kiss you, too,” Steve said. “I’ve thought…” He shook his head.

“Tell me,” Loki said, his voice a throaty whisper that recalled every pornographic thought Steve had ever had about him in vivid detail. Steve stuttered out another breath.

“Loki, I think I need to step back from this, or I’m not going to make it through the morning,” Steve said as evenly as he could. “If I know Tony, we probably won’t see him until tomorrow morning at the earliest. Do you have duties for today?”

Loki gave a disappointed nod. 

“Okay, tell you what,” Steve said. “Take some paper and a pencil with you today, and if you come up with anything you definitely want to go over with Tony or me, just write it down. Okay.”

Loki smiled brightly and gave an eager nod. 

“Okay,” Steve said. “See you at lunch.”

+++

As it turned out, cold showers were not as effective as advertised.

+++

Loki was not especially talkative at lunch, either, but not from awkwardness. Instead, he was intent on writing, and Steve was sort of amazed that he’d already filled several pages with his small, neat handwriting. 

“Maybe I should write up a list, too,” Steve said, trying to keep his tone light, but Loki looked up with an intense expression.

“Yes, you should,” he said. “So I will know what gives you pleasure.”

“This isn’t just about me,” Steve said. “I mean, it’s nicer when partners can bring pleasure to one another. I want to enjoy watching you get off as much as I enjoy it myself.”

Loki stared at Steve a moment, and Steve could see the blush creeping up his throat. He suddenly wanted to feel that heat against his lips. Loki lowered his eyes. “I am… not used to that consideration,” he said.

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Steve said. 

Loki gave a wry look. “It was different, on Asgard,” he said. “It was not expected I should marry for love, so any who courted me did so to gain favor with Odin, or position themselves at court, or sometimes to, somehow, lower my standing for another’s gain. If any even wished to. Once my liaisons became known, no one who enjoyed any kind of rank would ever lay with me. And Odin saw to it that those without status never got the chance.” Loki sighed. “My beloved here on Midgard was perhaps the closest I ever came to bliss.”

Steve felt his heart start to ache, imagining a much younger Loki in a little Nordic hut, with his Viking lover, who perhaps even looked much like Steve did now, tall and blond and broad, and with a child cradled in his arms. He could not comprehend a father denying such a thing to his son, duty or no duty.  
Loki looked up, saw the sympathy in Steve’s expression and gave a sad smile. “Do not grieve for me,” he said. “It was so long ago even my tears should have all been spent by now. Let us talk of happier things.”

“Okay,” Steve said. “Hand me a piece of paper.”

Loki did so, and Steve pulled a pencil from his shirt pocket. Loki’s own pencil started scratching across the sheet again, and Steve tucked the eraser from his pencil in the corner of his mouth, thinking. He didn’t just want to list the various acts. It was crude, for one, and obvious, for another. And really, he was game for most things. Loki also seemed like the type who was eager to please, and you really couldn’t go wrong with that, could you? Steve knew he’d have to be careful, watch for signs that Loki may not be as fully recovered as he seemed to be, but if Tony could work out all the charts in such a way that Loki could bail out the second he felt anxious, well, there wasn’t any reason they couldn’t enjoy themselves thoroughly.

Steve looked down at the paper in front of him and found he’d unconsciously started to sketch. To anyone else, it might have just looked like an abstract arrangement of lines, but Steve saw Loki’s jawline and the smooth column of his throat. With a surreptitious peek to confirm Loki was still writing, Steve slanted his pencil to make a slight shading on one side of the throat, just above the collarbone, where a love bite might bloom. Steve crumpled the paper in his hands. 

Loki looked up. “Are you all right?” he asked.

“Yeah,” Steve said. “Just… I’m wondering how this is going to work. Step-by-step for laundry or charity mailings is one thing, but maybe this is too… subtle.” 

“Stark is right, you do worry too much,” Loki said, passing a fresh page to Steve. “I am most concerned that Stark might refuse. But I trust his pride. He will not stop until he has bested any challenge set to him. He will do it, and it will succeed beyond even my imagination.”

“That’s some pretty effusive praise coming from you,” Steve said.

“Unfortunately, I am still compelled to tell the truth,” Loki said, his voice full of distaste. “And Stark’s intellect _is_ most impressive. The universe is lucky Midgardian lifespans are so brief or we might all be bowing down to him sooner or later.”

Steve chuckled at the idea. “Wow,” he said. “Never say that to Tony. He’d take it as a dare.”

Loki grinned. “Undoubtedly,” he said. 

Steve tapped his pencil against the paper, and found himself sketching again. A few smooth strokes of the graphite, and the teasing curve of Loki’s lips took shape. Steve crumpled the paper up. “I think I’m going to need to go down to the gym,” he said. “Are you okay for this afternoon?”

“I believe I have sufficient tasks to occupy my time.”

“Great,” Steve said. “Keep working on your list if you need to.”

“Yes, master,” Loki said, still scribbling away, and Steve felt a tremor zing through him.

Steve ended up being very grateful the tower had a gym full of equipment designed to challenge superhuman strength. His old gym downtown could never have taken the punishment.

+++

When Steve came up to dinner, he found Loki preparing one of his favorite meals, corned beef with potatoes, carrots, and cabbage. Even though Tony complained about the strong aroma whenever they made it, Steve found it took him right back to his childhood.

“Oh my God, does that smell great!” Steve said as he exited the elevator. “Is it ready yet?”

“Just dishing it up,” Loki said, sounding pleased, and he set a plate at Steve’s place. “I’ve also prepared some raw greens for myself, if you wished to partake.”

“Sure,” Steve said, and a bowl of salad was set beside the main dish. Loki then poured out some water for them both and took his seat.

The four-hour workout had kicked Steve’s already accelerated metabolism into overdrive, so he didn’t have a chance to talk as he tried to catch up with the bonfire of calories raging in his body, but it didn’t seem to make much difference as Loki was _still_ writing even as he ate with his other hand. Steve was just getting up for seconds when Jarvis’s voice filled the room. 

“Mr. Stark has asked me to tell you, and he specified that I quote directly, that ‘if those two barbarians are going to stink up my whole tower, the least they could do is bring me a bed tray.’”

“‘Barbarians,’” Loki chuckled under his breath, and turned over a new page.

Steve reached for another plate from the cabinet. “Tell him I’ll be down in two minutes.”

“Very good,” Jarvis said.

Loki seemed to startle into action. “I can do that, master.”

“No, it’s fine,” Steve said. “I should probably brief him on recent developments, anyway.”

Loki’s cheeks went pink, even as he smiled devilishly. “I can’t wait to hear what he says.”

Tony was not actually in bed when Steve arrived. His personal quarters were considerably larger than Steve’s, not because he hadn’t offered equally luxurious accommodations when Steve had first moved in, but because Steve honestly wouldn’t have known what to do with a nine-room apartment. But Tony did. Even though his rooms would have easily housed four families back in Steve’s old tenement, they still felt comfortable and intimate.

Steve found him in what Steve’s mother would have called a parlor, but Tony called his salon, a room with comfortable chairs and small tables where Tony and his guests could sit and talk, and probably drink. Steve, himself, had spent many hours with Tony there getting caught up on the past 70 years.

“Ah, thank you,” Tony said as Steve put the plate on the table beside Tony’s chair. “And now you can tell me what was so goddamn pressing this morning. You and your little Kringla disturbed what was supposed to be blessed oblivion while my stupid brain kept trying to figure out what you were up to.”

Steve sat down. “Well, it’s been a pretty eventful twenty-four hours,” he said.

Tony gave a knowing smile. “He finally jumped you, didn’t he?”

Steve sighed. “Not exactly. I, kind of, forced him to tell me. He damn near clawed his own tongue out trying not to.”

“Shit,” Tony said sympathetically. “That bad, huh?”

“Actually… no,” Steve said. “We got talking this morning, and, well… we think we may have figured it out.”

Tony quirked up an eyebrow. “Do tell.”

“We can do charts for it.”

Tony’s look of incredulous disbelief, followed by howls of laughter made Steve instantly, unreasonably happy. “Oh, my God, of course!” Tony said. “It’s so obvious. I need to get my template right the fuck now…”

“Hold on, Tony,” Steve said, raising his hands. “First of all, this is 100% something you need to do with Loki in the room.”

“Well, yes, of course,” Tony said, settling back into his seat. “He has to be taking the lead on this, and he has to be able to tap out any time.”

“Yes, exactly,” Steve said. “Plus, he has a whole list of things he wants to do.”

“Oh, I can’t wait to see that,” Tony said, chuckling again. “I mean, think about it – a thousand years! He’s probably tried everything.”

“Well, maybe not,” Steve said. “It doesn’t sound like he’s had much kindness in that department.”

“That sucks,” Tony said. “Sounds like he kind of got a raw deal in every department if what Thor has told us is true.”

“I just…” Steve took a deep breath. “I want it to be good for him.”

“I know,” Tony said. “We’ll take our time, okay? Go over it from all angles. And I have got to stop the double entendres, they’re beneath me. Alright, we’ll start fresh in the morning, but send him down with his list before bed. I want to look over it.”

“You got it.” And Steve did send Loki down, only to have him return a few minutes later. He immediately knelt by Steve, glaring menacingly, and after a moment Steve noticed a folded piece of graph paper taped to Loki’s chest.

_You forgot to order him to talk to me when you sent him down with the Asgardian Kama Sutra,_ Tony’s note read. _Please adjust settings and return to lab._

Steve apologized profusely, checked that Loki was okay (he was, just annoyed at Tony,) and gave the appropriate commands. Forty-five minutes later, he returned in better humor with another note.

_There are 30 fucking pages here, Rogers. 30! Good stuff, tho. Will get to work coding new programming for your Sex Doll in the a.m. Get a good night’s sleep. You’re going to need it. -T_

“Jesus,” Steve breathed, and Loki gave a pleased little hum. “I think I _do_ need to get to bed. It’s been a hell of a day.”

“I, too, master,” Loki said.

In the hallway outside their rooms, Steve touched Loki on the arm. He thought it might be the first time he’d touched Loki for no other reason but affection, and his hand felt very hot on Loki’s cool, pale skin. “I wanted to tell you,” Steve said, “that I’m really looking forward to this, and… and I hope I can be good for you.”

Loki looked stunned for a moment, his eyes blinking quickly and his mouth slack. “I… I have no doubt of it,” Loki said. “I believe my feelings for you only came about because you have been so careful with me. With you, I feel like I am worthy of love, and that has been very rare for me.”

Steve leaned closer and breathed “Loki…” just by the demigod’s ear, and felt him shiver. “I would like to kiss you,” Steve said. “Just once, for goodnight. Would that be okay?”

Loki shivered again, and Steve heard him shakily inhale and whisper, “yes, oh, yes, Steve,” and Steve cupped Loki’s cheek with his other hand and just held him for a second. Steve looked into Loki’s pale eyes, the pupils gone wide and bottomless, and then leaned forward to press his lips against Loki’s.

Loki’s lips were as cool as the rest of him, maybe even colder, and Steve felt like his own mouth was burning against them as he gave a tender kiss, almost chaste. It lasted only a moment, and Steve released him and stepped back. Loki’s eyes fluttered open and he took another juddering breath.

“Until tomorrow, then,” Steve said, entering his room and leaving Loki standing in the hall. A moment later, he heard Loki’s door open and close, and only then did he prepare for sleep.

+++

Steve woke early, before anyone else, and ran much further than normal, trying to clear his head, then returned to his room to shower before breakfast. By the time he got to the kitchen, Tony was pretty much done eating and was now scribbling notes in red pencil all over the pages Loki had written the day before while simultaneously moving things around on a small holographic screen hovering beside his plate. Loki looked over from where he was frying some kind of bread and gave Steve such a fond smile that he barely looked like himself. Steve smiled back and said, “Good morning,” as he took his seat.

Loki set a plate down with eggs, sausages, sliced tomatoes, mushrooms, and thick slices of sourdough, all perfectly fried. Then Loki sat down opposite.

“How’s it going, Tony?” Steve asked cautiously, bracing himself for Tony’s crude humor.

Tony did not disappoint. “I heard Loki once had the nickname ‘Silvertongue,’” he said. “I’ve just gotten to the section where he plans to justify the title.”

“Christ, Tony!” Steve exclaimed, feeling the heat rise in his cheeks. Loki looked down into his lap, his familiar wicked grin back on his face.

“But I expect to have at least a few subroutines worked out by dinner,” Tony said, fiddling with something on his screen. “That should give you both a chance to check my work before your first field tests.”

“Thank you, Tony,” Steve said. “I really appreciate this.”

“Yes, Stark,” Loki said. “You have my gratitude, as well.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Tony said modestly. “I’m enjoying the challenge.”

Loki and Steve exchanged amused, knowing looks.

And then, the sky outside the tower grew suddenly dark, and a bolt of lightning split the sky, accompanied by a deafening crash of thunder. A rainbow seemed to cascade down to the balcony, and when it cleared, Thor stood there, resplendent in his armor.

“Of course…” Tony said, closing the screen and folding Loki’s papers and passing them to Steve. Steve rose as casually as possible and slipped them into a counter drawer. Thor strode into the tower, cape billowing.

“Brother! My Friends!” he boomed as he entered. “How fare ye this morn?”

“We’re doing great, Thor,” Tony said. “What’s shaking in the nine realms?”

Thor and Tony quickly caught up while Steve quietly gave Loki commands that would allow him to speak to Thor freely. Thor then declined an offer of coffee until after he and Loki had talked, and the two brothers withdrew to speak privately.

“Should we just run for it now, or would you like to borrow some Iron Man armor to put a few more miles between us and Thor?” Tony asked.

“I… do you think they’ll discuss it?” Steve asked. “Thor usually just checks if he’s well and catches him up on Asgardian intrigue.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right,” Tony agreed. “I can’t imagine Thor asking, ‘by the way, is Rogers planning to…’”

“Stop, Tony, please,” Steve said. “This feels weird enough already.”

“Relax, I’m just teasing. Why would they..?”

And then Thor’s angry bellow filled the building.

“Rogers, you treacherous defiler,” he shouted, storming into the room. Tony retreated quickly to the opposite wall, while Steve stood and held out his hands as though trying to fend off a rampaging bull.

“Thor, take it easy,” Steve said. “It’s not what you’re thinking.”

“Brother, this was not his doing,” Loki was shouting from the hallway. “Please listen to me.”

“Yeah, this was all Loki’s idea,” Tony put in.

“Speak not, Stark,” Thor said. “Do not think I don’t see your debauched hand in this, too. Is there not an honorable man in all the realms?”

“Brother, stop this,” Loki insisted. “Stark speaks the truth. I am the architect of this plan, and you are ruining _everything!”_

Thor turned to Loki with a look of confusion and hurt. “Brother, what have they done to you?” he said. “I thought that here you would be safe…”

“I am safe,” Loki snapped back. “As usual, you are not listening to me. I _asked_ for this. Rogers has been resistant since the first, and now, when I finally found a way to get what I want, you come stomping in like a mad bilgesnipe! Again!”

Thor frowned, his anger ebbing as quickly as it rose. “Brother?”

“Come talk with me,” Loki said soothingly. “When you have heard all, you will better understand.”

“Very well,” Thor agreed, and the two demigods went back into the hall to continue their conversation. Tony swept through the kitchen, retrieving his Starkpad and Loki’s papers.

“I’m just… going to finish this downstairs,” he said. “You know, surrounded by several suits of armor.” He headed for the elevator. “Don’t worry, we’re still on schedule, assuming Thor doesn’t pound you into super-soldier jelly.”

“Your confidence is really touching, Tony!” Steve called after him.

Thor and Loki emerged about half an hour later. “My brother has explained things to me,” Thor said, “and if such a thing makes his punishment more bearable, I will do my best to understand it.” 

“I appreciate that, Thor,” Steve said.

Thor pointed Mjolnir at Steve’s chest. “But mark me, Rogers,” he went on. “If you are trifling with my brother’s trust…”

“I’m not, Thor, I swear,” Steve insisted.

“Very well,” Thor said, “but I will be back.”

“I’d be disappointed if you weren’t,” Steve said.

Thor left shortly afterwards. “Master, I am so sorry,” Loki said to Steve when he had gone. “I let my happiness overwhelm my judgment.”

“No, it’s okay,” Steve said “It’s probably for the best, anyway. He’d have found out sooner or later, and at least this way we had a chance to explain.”

“Indeed,” Loki said. “Older brothers can be… protective.”

“Yep,” Steve agreed, then, “so… overwhelming happiness, huh?”

Loki blushed, something Steve was finding he enjoyed seeing. “Yes,” he said, “and hopefulness, too. Things I have gone too long without.”

Steve took a step closer to Loki, almost without conscious thought, but stopped short. “You’d better go help Tony,” he said. “So we can do this the right way.”

“You must order me, master,” Loki said, a little breathless, and Steve drew himself up and summoned his “Captain voice.”

“You are to report to Mr. Stark and assist him in formulating your charts,” Steve said. “You are to answer his questions as completely as you can, and you are to express yourself specifically and in detail. Do you understand?”

“Yes, master,” Loki said.

“Very good. If you have any questions or need my assistance, Jarvis can locate me at any time. Do you understand?”

“Yes, master.”

“All regular duties are hereby suspended until further notice,” Steve said. “Dismissed.”

“Yes, master. Thank you,” Loki said, and he headed for the lab.

When he’d gone, Steve returned to his rooms. He wanted to make things special, so he took advantage of Tony’s accounts around town to have a few items delivered. It was a little intimidating how much Loki seemed to have invested in this, but Steve wanted to make it as good as he could.

Knowing Loki preferred it cool, he had Jarvis lower the temperature in the rooms. It wasn’t nearly as cold as Loki’s quarters, but Steve hoped it would be a little more comfortable. Next, he changed the usual winter flannel sheets out for satin. He’d been a little embarrassed ordering them, but the thought of Loki’s pale flesh thrown into high relief against them had overcome that. He also spread out a comforter made of a highly realistic synthetic fur that resembled the hide of northern wolves. Again, perhaps a little ridiculous, but the mental picture had made him tingle, so here it was. He then set some candles around the room. Lastly, he stashed some items for more personal use in the night table drawer. It always paid to be prepared.

+++

When neither Tony nor Loki appeared at lunchtime, Steve made a plate of sandwiches and carried them to the lab. He found the two intently studying one of Tony’s large holographic screens, which was covered in a complex arrangement of boxes, lines, and arrows.

“Oh, great, thanks,” Tony said when he saw the food, then he gestured at the screen. “Take a quick look at this. I’ve been looking at it so long my eyes are crossed, so tell me if you see any obvious problems.”

Steve set the plate of sandwiches down on a workbench. “You know I really don’t understand this as well as you and Loki,” he said. “If it looks good to you two, that’s good enough for me.”

Loki gave him the fond smile from earlier, and Steve’s heart melted a little. 

“In that case,” Tony said, “I think we’re ready for tonight. I just want to run a few simulations this afternoon.”

Steve frowned. “What do you mean, ‘simulations?’”

Tony’s fingers moved deftly through the air, and the holographic screens compressed and vanished, only to be replaced by two three-dimensional human forms, one red, one green.

Steve squinted at their faces. “Is that..?”

Suspended in the air, the forms walked towards one another and embraced.

Loki gave a bark of laughter. “Is that meant to be us?”

And then Steve did see the resemblance, obvious now that it had been spoken aloud. “Tony, I swear to God…” Steve began, when the hologram-Loki wrapped one long leg around hologram-Steve’s waist.

“Alright, that’s enough,” Steve said. “Can I have a few surprises, please?”

Tony moved his hands again, and the holograms vanished. Loki made a sound of disappointment.

“That’s actually a good point,” Tony said. “Take your sandwiches and get out. No, wait, leave some for me. I’ll bring up the final program at dinner.”

Steve and Loki left the lab, Steve still somewhat appalled but Loki highly amused. He grinned rakishly at Steve but said, “shall I return to my duties, master?”

“Yeah, I think that’s best,” Steve said. “See you in a few hours.”

“Yes, master,” Loki said, and, still chuckling, headed up into the tower.

+++

The gym did not fare so well the second day.

+++

Dinner that night was one of Tony’s favorites, baked ziti, no doubt as a thank-you gift from Loki. There was also a fresh Caesar salad, garlic bread, and a really nice bottle of Sangiovese, already uncorked. Everything had been nicely set out, and Loki stood by, prepared to serve.

He had also apparently been able to go to his room during the day, as he was dressed in a dark green tunic and black leggings Steve had not seen him in before, and though they were clearly of Earth manufacture, the silhouette called Loki’s Asgardian clothes to mind. Loki had also taken special care with his hair, and it fell loose and soft over his shoulders. 

“You look lovely tonight,” Steve said, and Loki’s cheeks went pink.

“Thank you, master.”

Tony exited from the elevator. “Smells great,” he announced, then to Loki, “let’s see the bangle.”

Loki obediently held out his wrist with the SI-enabled bracelet. Tony tapped the corner of his Starkpad to it. 

“Okay, that should transfer all the files we worked on today,” he said. “I’d recommend you go over them; I know you can memorize instantly, but it’s probably best if you’re pretty familiar before you’re naked.”

“Yes, thank you, Stark,” Loki said. 

“Thanks, Tony, I really appreciate this,” Steve said.

Tony waved off the gratitude and took his seat. “This looks delicious, by the way,” he said, scooping some salad onto his plate.

Steve sat down, too, and Loki filled both their glasses with wine. As he put the bottle down, Steve caught his hand, and Loki froze, allowing Steve to lift his hand and place a kiss in the center of his palm. A shiver went through him and Steve let him go.

“You two are totes adorbs, bee-tee-double-you,” Tony said, and Loki lowered his eyes, but smiled. Steve gave Loki a grin that was both affectionate and proud.

“Also,” Tony said, “I was only able to do charts for about twenty percent of what was on those sheets. I’ll get the rest in the next couple of days. That said, I think I got all the most popular tunes on the hit parade. You could easily go for several hours without a repeat.”

“Jesus,” Steve said, as Loki touched his Stark-bangle and brought up a holographic screen covered with shapes and text.

Tony smiled smugly and started shoveling salad into his mouth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter tomorrow. It will be a little longer than the rest of these, but I think you'll be happy with where it's going.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve and Loki FINALLY get together. Tony cooks breakfast. Steve introduces Loki to one of his kinks. Steve reminisces about an encounter during the war. Steve and Loki do Christmas in NYC (cliché alert.) Steve and Loki talk about their feelings. Christmas, with brunch, gifts, and guests. Thor brings Asgardian ale. Steve lets his Brooklyn show. Steve gives Loki special gifts. Steve and Loki make a startling discovery. Tony gives Steve a special gift. Steve and Loki do some experimenting. Natasha and Steve have another talk and Natasha reveals some information. Tony defends Loki and Steve. Steve makes a decision. Loki makes a different one. There is a surprising ending that suggests further stories.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this is a lot longer, but I didn't want to stretch it to six chapters. Hope that's okay with everyone. Tags are updated again. Don't read them if you like surprises.

After dinner, Loki did not want to wait, though Steve told him to take a few minutes in his room while Steve got ready himself.

He had Jarvis lower the room’s lighting by seventy-five percent, and quickly lit the jarred candles on the dresser and bedtable. The flickering light on the dark bed and fur throw took Steve to the little hut he had imagined for Loki in long-ago Norway. If he tried, he could imagine a desolate, frozen landscape beyond the walls, and cliffs that dropped to the North Atlantic, where Viking longboats sailed.

Steve removed his clothes, and wrapped himself in a long bathrobe Tony had given him as a gift shortly after his arrival at the tower. He stood by the foot of the bed, and waited.

Within a minute, the door opened and Loki slipped inside. 

He stood just at the threshold and took in the room, his eyes glittering and a small curve to his mouth, “You surprise me,” he said to Steve.

“It seemed fitting,” Steve said.

“Then I am honored.”

Steve sat on the end of the bed, and Loki began walking towards him, very slowly, as he pulled the tunic up over his head. He stopped, just for a moment, just long enough to drop his leggings to his ankles and step out of them.

His bare skin seemed almost white in the darkened room, and when he reached the bed, Steve took Loki’s waist between his hands and caught Loki’s legs between his thighs. Loki started to lean forward but Steve shook his head, and Loki straightened again.

Steve took his time drinking in Loki’s form: his soft, black hair, and eyes like new spring leaves, his laughing, teasing mouth, and the smooth column of his throat. The muscles, lean but strong, that shifted beneath his skin, and the long, elegant fingers that touched his own hair and skin, tentative, uncertain. His belly, flat and firm, and below a tangle of more black hair from which his hard cock rose. Like Steve, Loki was uncut, the first male partner he’d had in the 21st-century who was.

“Steve, I…” Loki began, but Steve looked up with a smile and shushed him gently. 

“Just for a moment,” Steve said. “You are a god, Loki. You should be worshiped.”

Loki’s blush went all the way down.

Steve ran his hands up over Loki’s ribs and around to his back. Loki braced his hands on Steve’s shoulders and leaned forward, capturing Steve’s mouth with his own. Loki’s kiss was firm and fierce, almost bruising, and within a moment his tongue and teeth were involved, demanding more. Steve’s lips parted, and Loki’s tongue darted in, cool against the heat of Steve’s mouth. 

Loki’s body rolled forward, pressing up against Steve and maneuvering him back to lie on the bed. At the same time, Loki slid his hands down Steve’s chest, inside his robe, then down to the sash, where he undid the knot and pulled the cloth aside, allowing Loki to lean his body full against Steve’s, their skin sliding together. 

Steve felt Loki’s hard length in the crease between his stomach and thigh, and felt his own manhood stiffen in response. Then he felt, as much as heard, Loki’s wicked laughter.

“Loki,” Steve said, his voice low and husky, and in return, Loki began to kiss a line down Steve’s jaw, his throat, then lower still to pepper little pecks and licks across his chest. Steve moved his hands further up, tangling his fingers in Loki’s hair.

“Yes,” Loki whispered breathlessly, and Steve found the sound intoxicating.

Loki lapped down Steve’s stomach, tiny touches of his tongue, like a cat with cream, and then he sank to his knees, his hands on Steve’s thighs now, and nuzzled against Steve’s cock. A bead of precum bubbled out, and Steve clenched his hands.

Loki moaned and licked a stripe up Steve’s member, then sucked the tip delicately, cleaning the liquid off. 

Steve was dizzy as Loki began to suckle at his cockhead, then opened his lips to take it into his mouth. Steve felt almost impossibly hot against the coolness inside Loki, but the latter did not seem to notice as he took Steve’s full length into his mouth and throat, until his nose pressed against Steve’s belly, and then Steve lost all reason entirely as Loki put his centuries of experience into bringing Steve pleasure.  
Steve was dimly aware of Loki’s fingers over his thighs, down over his balls to massage them gently. He felt, too late to stop, his own hands curl into fists, gripping Loki’s hair tighter, but was gratified when he was rewarded with Loki moaning around his cock. 

He thought, crazily, of his body like some complicated musical instrument finally being played by a maestro, each touch from Loki’s hands or mouth making a beautiful vibration deep within. And then, suddenly, his hips were jerking up, his cock pulsing in Loki’s mouth, and Loki swallowed over and over, as if to milk every drop.

Loki pulled off Steve’s cock, laughing through a wide, almost mad smile, and he wiped the cum and spit from the corners of his mouth, and licked it off his fingertips. Steve lay panting, staring up at Loki’s face, knowing he would try to draw it later and fearing he could not do it justice. 

“Well,” said Loki, “we shall have to inform Stark that the initial field tests appear to be a success.” Steve laughed out loud.

Loki rose to his feet and threw himself across the bed beside Steve, propping himself on his arms. Steve wriggled free of his bathrobe and rolled on his side to look at him.

“So,” Steve said. “What next?”

Loki’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “What do you desire, master?” he said, and that went straight to Steve’s groin.

“I should ask what _you_ desire,” Steve said, reaching out and stroking his fingers down Loki’s flank. The demigod shuddered in response.

Steve heaved himself fully onto the bed and propped himself against the pillows, and Loki raised himself to his hands and knees and nearly stalked up to join him. Steve took Loki and turned him around to lie on his back. He lifted Loki’s knees gently. 

“Can I… look at you?” Steve said, and Loki smiled even more widely. 

“Please do,” he said, rising to his elbows and spreading his thighs. 

Loki’s cock was still erect, and his balls were drawn up tight against his body, revealing the velvety, feminine folds behind. Steve knew he was staring, as his brain tried to comprehend exactly what he was seeing, the two organs seamlessly merged. Loki gave a low chuckle.

“The look on your face…” he teased.

“I’m sorry,” Steve said, and blushed.

Loki gave a tsk. “Don’t be,” he said. “It’s actually quite charming to be regarded with fascination instead of disgust.”

“Never,” Steve said. “This is… fantastic.” He reached out one hand. “May I?” 

“So polite,” Loki said. “Of course.”

Loki touched Loki gently, then slipped one finger inside. “You’re wet,” he said with surprise.

Loki laughed again. “Indeed I am,” he said. “Have you seen yourself?”

Steve blushed and began to stroke against Loki’s inner walls, teasing his balls with his other fingers. Loki made a soft, keening sound. Steve reached down with his other hand and stroked his own cock back to full hardness.

“Are you ready for me?”

“Yes, yes, Steve, please,” Loki panted, and Steve urged Loki back down, and moved until he held himself over the dark god. He maneuvered his cock until it was nudging against Loki’s opening, feeling Loki’s swollen manhood pressed between them.

Steve entered Loki and began an easy rhythm, and Loki rolled his hips to match him. Steve leaned down and kissed Loki again, their lips and tongues exploring each other. Loki reached up and wound his arms over Steve’s shoulders, still making a wordless, animalistic sound in the back of his throat. 

And later Steve could not have said if it was the flickering candlelight, or the feel of the soft fur against his legs and palms, or the inhuman sounds that Loki made, or even some residual enchantment that awakened within the demigod, but he felt transported to some untamed place where there was only him and Loki, and their shared pleasure.

When Loki came it was with a wild cry, and Steve followed him down.

+++

Steve was unaware of time passing, and he lost count of all the things they tried, but when they both were sated they lay together, Loki tracing patterns on Steve’s skin, and Steve gently combing his fingers through Loki’s hair. “You’re so beautiful,” Steve whispered, admiring the play of candlelight over the hard planes of Loki’s body. Loki murmured something in a language Steve did not know, a language that may not have been spoken for hundreds of years.

Reluctantly, Steve pulled away and rose from the bed, extinguishing the candles in the room. In the growing darkness, Loki raised his head to watch Steve with half-closed eyes. When Steve was done, he turned back to the bed, only to see Loki’s eyes go wide.

Steve startled, then realized Loki was looking past him. He turned to see the window, one curtain half pulled back, and beyond, in the peculiar orange light of the city, flakes of snow were falling. Steve turned back to Loki, grinning, and saw the demigod rise from the bed as though in a trance. He walked past Steve to the window and pulled the curtains all the way back, then reached out and opened the latch, swinging the window in. He braced his hands on the sill, leaned out into the air, and arched his back to bring his face up into the wind. Snowflakes peppered over his skin and hair, they clung to his eyelashes and settled on his lips. 

Steve watched him, silent and breathless. In this moment, still flushed from their lovemaking, but yet so cold snow barely melted on his flesh, Loki had never seemed more otherworldly, more alien, more unreal.

After a long moment, Loki came back inside, closed the window but left the curtains wide. He pressed himself up against Steve and cupped Steve’s face in his hands. They came together, the kiss soft and tender, and Steve felt the dewy flecks of melted snow on Loki’s face.

+++

Steve woke with Loki sleeping in his arms, and the fur thrown carelessly across them. The sky outside was heavily overcast, but the snow had stopped, and from the quality of sound rising from the street it seemed there had not been much accumulation at all. Steve felt a pang of disappointment; Loki would have loved another snow day.

The next moment, Loki’s eyes fluttered open and he smiled sleepily at Steve. 

“Good morning,” Steve said, reaching one hand to smooth Loki’s hair and stroke his cheek.

Loki opened his mouth, but only gave his head a rueful shake and touched the collar. Steve gave an annoyed huff.

“I’m sorry,” Steve said, but Loki shook his head again, giving Steve a more gentle expression now. He pointed to the bedroom wall where his room adjoined, and Steve said, “go on, then.”

Loki was just able to steal a quick kiss before he left the room, gathering his abandoned clothes as he went.

Steve showered and dressed quickly, but when he got to the kitchen, Loki was already there, preparing breakfast while a clearly annoyed Tony Stark looked on.

“Steve, tell your Shag-bot to let me cook for once,” Tony complained, earning him a dirty look from Loki and a confused look from Steve, but Steve did ask Loki to sit and Tony smoothly took over at the omelet pan.

“Why did you want to cook?” Steve asked Tony, and Tony turned to them with an amused grin.

“I thought it would be nice for you two honeybunnies to enjoy the afterglow awhile,” Tony said, sliding the omelet into a plate and setting it in front of Steve. He took down some mugs and started pouring coffee then went on, “plus, I’m expecting a call from Stockholm any second to inform me I’ve won the Wingman Nobel Prize. Because, guys…” Tony set the coffee mugs on the table, “I am the greatest Wingman of ALL TIME!” Tony was fairly giddy now. “I mean, I orchestrated the most unlikely hook-up in the history of the world! Paragon of virtue gets nasty with the god of lies, and all engineered by living legend Anthony Edward Stark! Boo, and may I add, Yah!”

Loki was clearly dismembering Tony with his eyes, now, but Steve was red with embarrassment and choking back laughter. “It was…” Steve finally managed to gasp, “a pretty singular achievement, I’ll admit.”

Loki rolled his eyes and gave a small shake of his head, but his expression softened to fondness as he looked over at Steve.

Tony quickly prepared a second omelet, this one heavier on the herbs, and slid it onto a plate in front of Loki. Then he moved to the fridge and removed a bowl of fresh raspberries and a bottle of champagne. He set the fruit on the table, grabbed a dishtowel, and popped the champagne cork. 

“Isn’t it a little early for that?” Steve said, and Tony gave a mock gasp.

“You philistine,” he said. “It is always an appropriate time for champagne.” He set three flutes on the table and began to fill them. “But if you insist, I’ll only fill yours halfway and you can make a mimosa.”  
Now Steve rolled his eyes, although he did reach for the orange juice, and Loki raised his glass in Tony’s direction before sipping it delicately. 

Tony finished an omelet for himself and joined them at the table. “So what now?” he said. “Butler by day, upstairs maid by night?”

“Tony!” Steve scolded, but Loki tapped his collar urgently, and Steve gave him the order to speak.

“That is acceptable to me,” Loki said. “More than, in fact.”

Steve gave him a doubtful look. “Loki, are you sure?”

“I still need to speak,” Loki insisted. “Enjoy the few scraps of autonomy the collar allows, and for that, I must work.”

Steve regarded Loki sadly for a long moment. “I don’t like it,” he said, “but it doesn’t look like we have much choice.”

Loki reached across the table and folded his hand over Steve’s. “Don’t despair, master,” he said. “Last night brought me so much happiness, I can’t even express it. If the price for that is handwork and scullery duties, that is quite satisfactory to me.”

Steve gave a resigned sigh. “Alright, fine, I guess that’s what we do, then.”

+++

Loki spent part of the day tending to the household chores in the tower (and was so delighted by the “fur” throw that could be cleaned in the washer that he made a point of complimenting Tony’s “marvelous machinery” at lunchtime.) The rest he spent in Tony’s lab helping work out the next round of charts. He and Tony both were looking very smug when Steve joined them for dinner.

“I think you might need to stock up on the Gatorade,” Tony said to Steve, “because a few days of this, and you’ll be a shriveled husk.”

Steve gave Loki a lusty look. “Worth it,” he said, and Loki’s cheeks pinked.

Afterwards, they returned to Steve’s room, together this time. Loki ran his fingers along Steve’s shirt collar and over the buttons down the front. “Do you wish me to undress you, master?” he asked, his voice low and dark.

Steve swallowed hard. “I would love it,” he said.

Loki’s fingers deftly undid each button, and he slid the shirt off Steve’s shoulders and folded it neatly over the back of a chair. He lifted Steve’s undershirt over his head and did the same. Then he sank smoothly to his knees and began to undo Steve’s shoes.

Something about looking down at the top of Loki’s head as he knelt so gracefully did something to Steve that he didn’t want to examine too closely, something cold that roiled low in his body like an eel. He felt his cock begin to swell, every second demanding attention more urgently. When Loki got back to his feet and reached for Steve’s belt, he met Steve’s eyes with a knowing, wicked expression. 

And then it was a whirlwind of hands and mouths, of clothes pulled away with little regard, of entangled limbs, and hot flesh sliding against cool. And when Steve came back to himself, they both were twisted in dark satin and fur, panting, their desire slaked.

+++

Day passed into day this way, until Steve had to admit (as usual) that Tony had been right. The nights spent with Loki were anything but routine. In fact, the trickster god was endlessly inventive, but it was the constant novelty that was ultimately so exhausting. So after seven nights, Steve asked Loki if he might draw him instead.

Loki arranged himself naked on the fur throw, moved his limbs as Steve directed him, and it was the first time Steve could honestly say that Loki had seemed modest, almost shy. He stayed silent and still, watching Steve as he sketched, first basic impressions, Loki’s angles and curves, and then moving on to studies of Loki’s body. Steve drew his face, his eyes half-closed now, his usually amused mouth serious. Steve tried drawing Loki’s hands over and over, not quite able to capture their cleverness now that they were at rest.

When Steve was done he joined Loki on the bed and let him page through the sketchbook. The demigod was uncharacteristically solemn as he turned each leaf, traced Steve’s pencil lines with one finger. 

Finally Steve asked, “do you want to tell me what you’re thinking?”

Loki looked up sharply, his green eyes wide and startled. After a moment he nodded and Steve gave him the command. 

“To see myself as you see me,” Loki admitted, “is very humbling. You have drawn me as though I were a precious thing.”

“You are a precious thing,” Steve insisted. “You’re beautiful, Loki.”

Loki shook his head in denial. “Perhaps I am… tempting to some, in some exotic way, but no one could truly desire me, grotesque as I am.”

“You’re not, Loki. And I desire you. We wouldn’t be here if I didn’t.”

Loki looked up hopefully. “In truth?”

“I don’t sleep with just anyone,” Steve said, “and I can honestly say I’ve never been with someone like you.”

Loki turned back to the sketchbook, and said nothing more that night.

+++

In the morning, Tony’s usual embarrassing questions about the night before turned to incredulous disbelief when he found out Steve and Loki had conducted an impromptu life drawing session. 

“So, did he draw you like one of his French girls?” Tony asked Loki, who returned a blank look.

But Steve said, “how did you know about that?”

“It’s one of the highest-grossing movies of all time,” Tony said. “It’s not exactly obscure. Wait… what are you talking about?”

“Nothing… it’s nothing,” Steve said, but Tony wasn’t letting it go.

“Come on, out with it,” Tony said. “What’s the story, morning glory?”

Steve gave a resigned sigh. “It was during the war,” he said. “The Howlies and I had liberated a French village, and one of our thank you gifts was a night on the house at the local, um… brothel.” Steve had Tony and Loki’s rapt attention, so he went on, “the madame decided I should have the prettiest girl there, and the guys agreed, so I went up to her room. And she was… very pretty. A real French rose: blonde hair, pale skin, curves right where you want ‘em. But then she lit the lamp and… she was just a kid. Maybe sixteen, at the most. And I just… I couldn’t. So I took out my sketchbook and did sketches of her all night.”

“So… this is one of your fetishes,” Tony said. “You need the smell of charcoal pencils..?”

“Actually, it kind of is,” Steve said defensively. “It’s intimate…”

“So go on,” Tony said. “Where are all these nude drawings? I’m sure the Smithsonian would love to add them to the Captain America exhibit.”

“Actually, they probably do have them,” Steve said. “I know they eventually got all my effects when I went in the ice, and the sketchbook was in there. I expect it didn’t fit with the image, though.”

“Well, well,” Tony said. “Adding another layer to the mythology, I guess. Still, I wouldn’t mind seeing them. Any of them, actually. You know, just as a patron of the arts.”

“I don’t mind about the ones from the forties, if they ever turn up,” Steve said. “But the current ones? They’re private. Sorry.”

Loki gave Tony a self-satisfied look, and Tony just shrugged. “Never hurts to ask,” he said. “Oh, and by the way, to entirely change the subject, Pepper and I are going out of town for awhile. Not sure how long, exactly, but we’ll be back by the 20th, at the latest.”

“Where are you off to?” Steve asked.

“Spending a few days on the west coast, then hopping across southeast Asia. Kind of half-business, half-pleasure. We put in some meetings with the SI offices in Singapore and Indonesia, then spend some time in the beach resorts, maybe do some boating. Recharge before the holidays.”

“Well, you two deserve it,” Steve said. “Don’t worry, we can hold down the fort.”

“I have some decorators coming in to do the Christmas things,” Tony said. “Nothing big. Did you want a tree in your rooms, by the way?”

Steve looked at Loki, who didn’t seem to be following the conversation closely, and said, “yeah, sure, just a small one.”

“You got it,” Tony said.

As they finished up, Steve announced he planned to be in the room he’d set aside as a studio if he was needed. He kissed Loki on top of the head as he went.

+++

Although Steve always missed Tony’s enormous presence when he went on one of his trips, he had to admit it was nice to get the occasional break from Tony’s observations and running commentary. It was also nice to break the routine, to seek out Loki just to keep him company while he painted, or to get cozy in some of the common areas. One morning dawned deeply overcast, and by noon it had not really been light all day. It felt like snow, although that seemed more of an empty promise as the day went on.

Still, Steve was feeling a little cabin fever, so after lunch, he had Loki dress for the cold and they went out walking. It was 10 days before Christmas, and New York City had decked herself out in glitter, glamour, and ten zillion tiny light bulbs for the occasion. Loki stared unreservedly at the giant ornaments, tinsel sculptures, and mobs of tourists. Steve walked him up Fifth Avenue to admire the fantastical worlds created in the department store windows, from the child’s wonderland at Macy’s to the surreal dreamscapes at Bergdorf-Goodman.

“I always loved the city at Christmastime,” Steve said. “When I was a kid, my friend Bucky and I could always get a little extra dough helping out on the tree lots that always popped up. We’d carry trees for tips, help unload the trucks. At the end of the day we’d gather up the branches that had been trimmed off, scrounge up baling wire and string and make them into wreaths and sprays and sell them outside the cemetery.

“On Christmas Eve, we’d wait till the very last minute, hoping for a few more pennies, then we’d run to Woolworth’s right before they closed and get gifts for our Mas, whatever our little handfuls of change could afford. Lavender toilet water, or lacy hankies. One year I was really flush and got her a little scarf pin shaped like a Christmas tree.”

Loki took Steve’s hand and gave it a little squeeze. “I expect she was quite proud of you,” he said.

Steve gave a wistful smile. “I hope she was.” And he raised Loki’s hand to his lips and brushed a kiss across the knuckles.

Loki tensed and looked at the crowds around them nervously. 

“It’s okay,” Steve said. “No one minds two men together.”

“No, it’s not that,” Loki said.

“Then what?”

Loki shook his head. “It’s hard to explain,” he said. “Things are different here.”

Steve gave him a hard look, but squeezed his hand. “Okay, we’ll circle back to that,” he said. “For now, how do you feel about chestnuts?”

“In what regard?”

Steve gestured to a nut cart ahead. “Eating them,” he said. “Another New York Christmas tradition.” They got to the cart, and Steve bought a small brown paper bag full of steaming nuts. He and Loki sat on the edge of a concrete road barrier while Steve showed the demigod how to peel off the softened shells and get to the roasted meat inside.

“I like these,” Loki said, nibbling at one. “These are like the food I am used to. It has become the fashion, of late, to fuss with food too much. My mother was always looking for chefs who could prepare the latest dishes, but afterwards, Thor and I would sneak down to the kitchens for the roasted joint and boiled roots the servants ate.”

Steve grinned at the thought. “Just to clarify,” he said, “how long ago was this, Earth time?”

Loki looked up thoughtfully. “Four centuries ago, perhaps?”

Steve chuckled, eating another nut. “So the ‘latest fashion’ for you is several lifetimes for me. Good to know.” He picked up another nut and started to peel it, using his fingernail where it stuck. “So, I need to go to the framing shop. There’s a painting I had done that I need to pick up. But first I thought we could go to the ice rink.”

“What’s that?”

“You know, for ice skating.” Loki gave him an uncomprehending look and Steve gave a shocked one back. “You’re one of the gods of the frozen north and you don’t know what ice skating is?”

“Is it like a toboggan?” Loki guessed.

“No! You put metal blades on your feet and they let you slide around the ice. You can race? Or do sort of dancing moves?” Steve was truly flabbergasted. “Come on! Sonja Henie? Skating champion from Norway?”

“When was this?” Loki asked.

“The 1930s.”

“A bit past the time I spent there,” Loki said. “Still, I am intrigued. Let’s go.”

“I can’t believe you’ve never seen ice skating,” Steve said as they walked. 

“It does not actually get cold in Asgard,” Loki said defensively. “And the time I spent in the frozen realms did not allow for much sport.

“Well, if you liked the snow,” Steve said, “you’re going to love skating.” As they walked from between the buildings and the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree came into view, Loki’s mouth dropped open and his eyes started to shine.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Steve said.

“Indeed,” Loki told him.

Steve took his hand. “Come on, the skating’s down below.”

They watched for several minutes as couples and families with children and individual skaters moved gracefully around the ice. Loki was completely fascinated, so when Steve asked if he’d like to try it, Loki instantly agreed.

“This is something else the serum improved,” Steve said as they tied on their rented skates. “When I was a kid I couldn’t skate ten feet without going down flat on my ass. Now, it’s as easy as walking.”

“A pity,” Loki said teasingly. “I could have kissed your bruises for you.”

Steve’s cheeks colored, but not from the cold. “You keep talking like that, I’ll be too dizzy to skate.”

“Hmm, a challenge,” Loki said, and grinned.

Steve smiled back and stepped onto the ice, holding out his hands for Loki to follow. The demigod rose and took a few uneven steps across the floor, then stepped onto the ice, too. Even without moving, he began to slide and looked at Steve in alarm. Steve slid in beside him and put his arm across Loki’s lower back, supporting and guiding him. 

“Watch my feet,” Steve instructed. “Push with one foot and balance on the other. There you go. Now switch… Good! And again. And back. Left… then right… keep going. Now we need to turn. Lean into it, towards me…”

Within a few circuits of the rink, Loki was doing well enough for Steve to let him go, and he stiffly but doggedly kept going, while Steve skated backwards before him, watching and encouraging. And then, just as Loki was getting comfortable enough to try some spins and turns, like magic, the snow began to fall. 

Loki laughed with delight, and Steve skated up beside him and took him in his arms. “Come on, follow what I do,” Steve said, and they moved together as Bing Crosby played on the speakers and snowflakes fell all around them.

+++

The framing shop had done a beautiful job with Steve’s painting, a poster of Iron Man in the style of a WWII ad promoting the war effort. “Iron Man Says: Keep ‘Em Flying! Buy Bonds Today!” The frame was simple brushed metal with red matting that matched the red in the painting.

Loki rolled his eyes a bit when he saw it, but complimented Steve’s work. “I actually did a few of these before I joined the army,” Steve said. “Just free-lance, only made a few bucks, but it was worth it the first time I saw one of mine hanging in the post office.”

Loki nodded and smiled, and Steve realized the slack he’d built up that morning was starting to run low. 

“Do you want to go back to the tower?” Steve asked, and Loki shook his head. 

“Will you be okay to go to a restaurant?” Steve said. “I could give you some orders. Make it easier.” And Loki touched the collar and nodded. 

They went to a quiet place, with high-backed booths and discreet waiters, and ordered steaks and baked potatoes. Steve carefully gave Loki the commands he needed to eat and talk.

“So, don’t think I’ve forgotten,” Steve said. “What did you mean when you said things were different here? Why were you afraid? Only answer if you want to.”

Loki reached one hand up to touch the collar. “The binding… it has been shifting of late. Although I can avoid being forced or avoid pain with the charts we have devised, it’s as though it has decided to remind me I am your thing, not your equal. When you show me regard, as with the kiss upon my hand, I feel the thought come to me, unbidden, that I should walk behind you, not beside. That I should keep my eyes downcast, that I should only await your command.” Loki smirked ruefully. “That I shouldn’t get too comfortable.”

“Jesus. I hate this,” Steve said. “It can’t even let you be happy.”

“No, no,” Loki soothed. “I am happy. I am with you, and you are kind and generous to me. I feel like I am being courted today, you show me such consideration. But still… you asked, and I thought you should know.”

“I’m sorry,” Steve said. “I wish it were different.”

Loki looked thoughtful. “I’m not sure I do,” he said, “It could be much worse for me; in fact, it has been in recent memory. But what I must trade in power and freedom I have had paid back in kindness and care. It is enough.”

Steve reached out and took Loki’s hand. “It’s not what I expected, either,” he said. “But I do care about you, Loki, very much. I’m glad your brother trusted me. I’m glad _you_ trusted me. If someone had told me that first week you came here that I’d like having you around this much I’d have thought they were nuts, but I do. I love what we have together.”

Loki began to shake, very slightly, but noticeably. “And do…” He swallowed, than finally blurted, “and do you love me?”

Steve looked at Loki for what seemed like a long time, then said, “yeah, I think I do. I don’t know if it’s the same way you love me, or even if it’s the way you deserve to be loved, but I do. I want you to be safe, and not be afraid. I like it when you’re happy, and it makes _me_ happy. I like when you do little things for me, or show off for me, or just want to be around me. And I like being intimate with you, how willing and eager you are for me.”

Loki lowered his gaze at this and clutched at Steve’s hand with both of his. “I… I didn’t dare to hope for this,” he whispered.

“I’ve learned a lot about you,” Steve said. “And I know this: you can be a better man. You are worthy of love.”

Loki raised Steve’s hand to his face and kissed the fingertips. “Thank you,” he said. “Thank you.”

+++

Having finally put his feelings about Loki into words, Steve noticed the tone of their relationship changed, again for the better. Loki became more casually affectionate, touching Steve gently when they met, giving him soft kisses or stroking an arm or shoulder. He spoke less, but Steve realized he was conserving his slack on the binding for these affectionate displays, and found it profoundly touching.  
At times when it seemed Loki could not express himself as he wished, Steve would “order” him to sit beside him, and he would caress Loki gently, letting the alien lean his cheek into Steve’s palm, his eyes closed blissfully. Their lovemaking, too, was less urgent, less frenzied, as though Loki trusted now that they had time to make a more thorough exploration of one another.

Day passed into day. Tony’s decorators came to tastefully outfit the common areas for the holidays, and Loki was thoroughly charmed by the tabletop tree dressed with tiny multi-colored lights that appeared in Steve’s rooms. He even used some of his precious minutes of autonomy to craft Scandinavian ornaments from colored paper for it. Steve liked the little checkered baskets shaped like hearts, in particular.

When Tony arrived back home, it felt like he brought Christmas with him. Friends came by every day to exchange greetings of the season with Tony as they closed their offices for the holidays and headed out of town.

The Ballet, the Philharmonic, and several Broadway theaters, all of whom counted Stark Industries as a patron, invited Tony and as many guests as he wished to include to their holiday performances, so Steve and Loki enjoyed “The Nutcracker,” an evening of classical holiday selections, and a new musical based on a movie Steve had never seen, but which was set just after the war. Loki loved them all, and Steve loved that Loki loved them.

+++

Christmas morning dawned with a gray, overcast sky. Steve, mentally worn out by the last minute preparations, had asked Loki the night before if he could just hold him as they slept. Loki shyly agreed, and Steve found he was quite content to wake spooned up against Loki’s back.

Steve nuzzled Loki’s hair, inhaling the scent that reminded him of freshly fallen snow. He moved slowly, not wanting to wake the demigod, but enjoying the sensation of Loki’s cool skin against his own.  
A low, contented hum from Loki let Steve know he’d awakened, so Steve rolled him over and kissed him. Loki gave him a sleepy smile, then rose from the bed to retreat to his own rooms and prepare for the day.

Steve rose, showered, and dressed, a little more formally than normal in honor of the day. He arrived in the kitchen to see that Loki had done the same, wearing his “cupbearer” clothes as he prepared the meal. Steve and Tony had agreed that setting Loki the task of cooking and serving a large Christmas brunch would probably give him enough leeway to get through some socializing and holiday activities until he could serve at the catered dinner Tony had arranged.

The morning was sort of an open house, with local SHIELD agents, SI employees, and F.O.T.’s (Friends of Tony) stopping by, drinking coffee or mimosas, and sampling the egg casserole, muffins, fresh fruit, and other dishes Loki kept constantly refreshed.

Pepper arrived around 12:30, a large tote filled with gifts on each arm, and dressed in a dazzling red dress. Though she didn’t even give Tony a funny look, he quickly excused himself and returned ten minutes later having exchanged his casual clothes for an impeccable silver suit and a red tie that matched Pepper’s dress perfectly.

The stream of visitors tapered off around 2, and Natasha arrived shortly afterwards, passing along Clint’s regrets. Rhodey and Bruce arrived next, and within a few minutes an unseasonal cloudburst announced the arrival of Thor.

Tony had everyone gather in the large living room, with its wall-sized windows offering a spectacular view of the city, even on such a gloomy day. There was a decorated tree, easily ten feet tall, dominating the space, and Tony had even created a holographic fireplace in the corner.  
Steve sat in one of the velvet café chairs, while Loki took a position behind the bar and began doling out drinks.

Gifts were exchanged, some serious, like the sapphire and diamond necklace to Pepper from Tony, some less so, like the t-shirt to Tony from Rhodes that hinted at a private joke between the two. Tony was genuinely flattered and touched by Steve’s poster, and gave him a rare hug of affection and gratitude. There were bottles of liquor from Natasha, collected during her various missions. There were even a few gifts for Loki, to his authentic astonishment: hairpins with rhinestone snowflakes from Pepper, an elaborately carved stone piece the size of an egg from Tony that Steve guessed was either an actual Viking relic or an excellent replica, and a basket of Asgardian goods from Thor that included fruits and vegetables Steve did not recognize, a length of shiny green fabric, and a small wooden cask of what Thor referred to as “proper drink.” Loki murmured thanks and apologies that he had not gotten gifts in return, but Tony graciously informed him that on Midgard it was not expected, given Loki’s position in the household. And in a moment when everyone was ooh-ing and aah-ing over the metal adornments Thor had given them, Steve whispered to Loki that his gifts would come later, privately.

Dinner, as was expected by now, was a grand multi-course meal, and Loki was kept running to fill everyone’s drinks. And then, as an elaborate Buche de Noel was served, and Loki was pouring out tiny cups of cordial, Thor boomed, “so, brother, how goes your coupling with Captain Rogers?”

The hum of conversation came to an abrupt halt, as Nat, Rhodey, and Bruce stared at Steve, Tony threw a horrified look at Thor, and Pepper showed a sudden, intense interest in her wine glass.

Loki, to his credit, only paused briefly in his task before calmly replying, “very well, brother. He has shown me considerable regard.”

“’Tis good fortune,” Thor said. “Perhaps a marriage could form an alliance between our realms.”

Tony started stuttering, “wait, wait,” while Steve made a low “errr...”

But Loki only said quietly, “I am still a slave, brother,” and the room grew silent again.

Thor looked abashed, for the first time as far as Steve could remember. “You are right, of course,” Thor said. “I have overstepped.”

There was a long, awkward silence, which Loki finally broke by saying, “perhaps we should open the cask you have brought me, brother, and we may toast our friends on this night.”

“An excellent suggestion,” Tony said. “Bring it on, Loki.”

“Now, my friends,” Thor said, “you must be most cautious. This is Asgardian ale, and is far more potent than what you are used to.”

“Oh, none for me,” Pepper said, and Bruce similarly waved it away. Nat and Rhodes only took a small amount each, while Tony had Loki refill his martini glass.

As Loki removed a pint glass from the shelf for Thor, Steve spoke up. “One for me, too,” he said, “and pour one for yourself, Loki, if you want.”

Loki gave Steve a raised-eyebrow look, and Steve nodded, so Loki removed two more glasses and filled them. When all had been served, Tony made a toast “to Thor, and the glory of Asgard.”

This led to Thor toasting the realm of Midgard, Tony toasting their continued health and prosperity, Steve their friendship and their brotherhood in the Avengers, and Loki the kindness and generosity of his “master.”

Bruce was the first one to break the party up, citing work he wanted to undertake in the morning, and Rhodes and Natasha left soon after, the latter with a hard look at Steve that promised further discussion. Finally Thor made his farewells, which included crushing bear hugs for Loki and Steve.

When he’d gone, Tony slid sideways, laughing, and laid his head in Pepper’s lap. “Holy shit,” he said. “What’s in that stuff?”

“The usual,” Loki said, lowering himself to the floor beside Steve. “Grain, hops, the blood of our enemies…”

“Really?” Tony said.

“No, not really,” Loki said witheringly. “But being from Asgard it is imbued with the magic of that realm.”

And Steve was suddenly overcome with a fit of giggles. “C’mere, Mischief,” he said, reaching down and using his super-strength to gather Loki into his lap like a child. “I need a little sugar.”

“Er, okay,” Loki agreed, giving Steve a deep kiss.

“Mmm, s’nice,” Steve said. “Yer nice, too.”

“Um, what’s happened to your voice?” Loki asked, and Tony burst into another peal of laughter.

“It’s Brooklynese!” Tony shouted. “You did it! He’s hammered!”

“Damn,” Steve said, letting his head fall back against his chair. “I haven’t been drunk since Bucky’s going away party. That stuff packs a punch.”

Loki looked at Steve worriedly. “Perhaps it would be best if you went to bed.”

Steve brought Loki in for another kiss, then said, “I think it would be best if I took _you_ to bed, and we try out a few more charts.”

“You should do thirty-six and eighty-four,” Tony said. “They’re my favorites.”

“Thass a great idea, Tony,” Steve said, climbing to his feet with Loki still in his arms. The demigod repositioned himself to wrap his legs around Steve’s waist and his arms over his shoulders. Steve carried him into the elevator and pushed him back against the wall, kissing him long and hard.

As the doors slid closed, they heard Tony ask Pepper, “do _you_ want to try eighty-four..?”

Steve was staggering by the time they got to his bedroom, so Loki guided him inside and down onto the bed. “Help me with my clothes,” Steve said, and Loki knelt to undo his shoes.

“Yer so beautiful like that,” Steve murmured. “Makes me wanna do things.”

Loki looked up, and even drunk, Steve could see his unease at these words.

“No, I wouldn’t, I wouldn’t ever,” Steve insisted, “but… so beautiful.”

Loki finished with Steve’s socks and shoes, then stood and undid his shirt and tossed it in with the laundry. As he reached for Steve’s belt buckle, Steve stopped him. “Not yet,” he said. “You need to get ready, and you need to open your presents.”

Loki’s eyes glittered with excitement. “I can hardly wait,” he said. “Where is it?”

“In the closet,” Steve said, waving his hand vaguely, and Loki fetched out a rather large, tastefully-wrapped box. “The girl at the shop did that,” Steve slurred. “I’d have done it more Christmas-sy.”

“It’s very lovely like this,” Loki said. “Shall I open it?”

“No, not yet,” Steve said. “Go change into some soft clothes. I want to… well, you’ll see.”

Loki gave a sly smile. “Just give me a moment,” he said, heading for his own rooms. When he returned, clad only in a loose tunic, Steve had started to doze, but when Loki climbed up to kneel beside him in the bed he woke with a jolt and smiled, just a little dopily.

“Perfect,” Steve said. “Now open it. I want to see what you think.”

Loki tore open the wrapping and lifted the lid. Inside was a jumble of tissue paper with two packages on top. With a curious glance at Steve, he opened the smaller one first and gave an exclamation of surprised joy as he removed a small, leather-bound book. 

“It’s stories about you, from Iceland,” Steve explained. “I thought… maybe you’d find it interesting, what they wrote.”

“I’m sure I will,” Loki said. “And it will be nice to have an actual book around. I mean, Stark’s devices are remarkable, but…” And here Loki pressed the little book to his cheek and inhaled the scent. “It’s not the same.”

“I thought you’d like it,” Steve said.

Loki set the small volume in his lap and opened the next gift. Inside were two cylinders of sturdy leather, held together with leather lacing. Embossed designs covered them and Loki looked at them curiously.

“You said… you felt… vulnerable,” Steve said uncertainly. “I thought they’d be… kind of like what Thor wears. To protect your arms…”

Understanding broke on Loki’s face. “Yes, I see now. They are called vambraces, and we do wear them as part of our armor. But these are different…”

“I ordered them online,” Steve explained. “From a leather worker. I know they’re probably not as nice as what you had…”

“No, no, it’s not that,” Loki said, and Steve could see he was trying to be diplomatic without actually lying. 

“It’s okay,” Steve said. “You can tell me.”

“These are more for… theatrical purposes,” Loki said. “Or for certain occasions at court, perhaps. For battle, they would incorporate a steel structure. But they are very beautifully made,” he added quickly. “If you would like me to wear them, that would please me very much.”

Steve reached out and took one of the vambraces and Loki’s right hand, and slid the vambrace on. With deliberate movements, Steve pulled the laces through each eyelet until it was snug on Loki’s forearm, then tied a bow. Loki handed him the other and let him repeat the process on his left arm. Then Steve held Loki’s hands cradled in his own. “Do you really like them?” he asked.

“If they inspire you to treat me so tenderly, I should wear them every day,” Loki said, and Steve’s face broke with a wide smile.

Loki lifted one hand and pointed to some of the designs. “I do not recognize these symbols,” he said. “I believe they may be Celtic or perhaps Germanic, but these are Norse.”

“What do they mean?” Steve asked.

Loki shook his head. “In this configuration? Nothing. They seem to be random.”

“Oh.” Steve was disappointed. “The guy who made them said they were for protection.”

“Unless he was a mage of some sort, the symbols alone could not do that. Perhaps he copied them from some protective object.”

“Maybe,” Steve agreed. “What about the tree?”

“That is Yggdrasil,” Loki said. “The tree at the center of the nine realms.”

“That’s from mythology, right?” Steve said, and Loki grinned.

“I am also from mythology,” he said.

“Yeah, but you’re real,” Steve said, grinning back.

“So is Yggdrasil,” Loki said, “but you are far too drunk for me to explain it to you now.”

Steve let Loki’s hands go and nudged the box. “Last one,” he said.

Loki reached back into the box, tossing the paper aside, and withdrew a long garment made of similar fur to their throw, and lined with dark green silk.

“Put it on,” Steve said, and Loki clambered form the bed and did so. 

It was a coat, but more full, like a cape, with loose, long sleeves. The fur around the collar was longer than the rest, giving the effect of a lion’s mane when Loki pulled it closed around his throat. “It is…” Loki couldn’t seem to find the words, so he moved to the full-length mirror on Steve’s closet door and examined how he looked in it from all angles. “It is magnificent,” he said at last.

“I know it’s not as nice as what Asgard royalty probably wears…”

“Don’t concern yourself with that,” Loki said sharply. “That life is gone, but I know I would rather wear this than the finest clothes in all the nine realms, because it pleases you.”

“Well, in that case,” Steve said, “you should know it does please me. It pleases me very much.”

Loki climbed back into bed and knelt next to Steve, his knees just touching Steve’s ribs. Steve reached up and ran one hand over the soft fur of the coat.

“I wish I could paint you like this,” Steve said. “But I’m not good enough to capture how beautiful you are.”

Loki tickled Steve’s side lightly. “You flatter me,” he said.

“It’s the truth,” Steve insisted.

Loki leaned down and kissed Steve, and cupped Steve’s jaw in his palm. Steve moved his hands up the collar of the coat and twined them in Loki’s hair. After a moment, Steve broke the kiss and panted, “I think I’m ready for eighty-four.”

Loki sat up and took hold of the waistband of Steve’s pants, then, in one smooth movement, he had them undone and off, along with Steve’s undershorts. He slid off the bed and tossed them aside, then moved to the closet, where he carefully hung his coat.

“Can’t you leave it on?” Steve cajoled.

“Not for eighty-four,” Loki said, smirking. “I’m afraid it will get begrimed. But perhaps after.”

“It really looks nice on you,” Steve insisted. 

Loki chuckled. “I think the drink has made you even more charming, if such a thing is possible,” he said.

“It’s good stuff,” Steve agreed.

Loki shed his tunic, standing nude save for the vambraces, and the colored lights from Steve’s tree made patterns of light on his skin. He opened the nightstand drawer, removing a small bottle and popping the cap. Steve tried to prop himself on his elbows but didn’t quite make it. 

“I think m’gonna like this one,” he said.

Loki got back onto the bed and knelt beside Steve again. He squeezed a generous amount of the lubricant on his fingers, raised himself slightly on his knees and began to prepare himself. Steve tried to sit up again, but Loki murmured, “just lie back, my love.”

“Just like watching you,” Steve said. “Yer very sexy.”

“Well, thank you,” Loki said, and he grunted a little as he worked his hands behind his back.

“Can’t hardly wait to give it to you,” Steve said.

Loki arched back a bit. “Why, Captain Rogers,” he teased, “you say the most _filthy_ things.”

Steve blushed slightly, but said, “you make me think filthy things.”

“Good, then my plan is working,” Loki said, making a small hiss as his fingers withdrew. He dispensed more of the gel onto his palm and rubbed his hands together to warm it, then he slicked it over Steve’s now-swollen cock. Steve moaned at the sensation.

“M’not gonna last long,” he said, his teeth clenching.

Loki rose up fully on his knees, and with a surprisingly graceful movement, turned and straddled Steve’s thighs. He reached back with one hand and maneuvered Steve’s cockhead against his opening and sat back. With a cry of pleasure from both men, Steve’s cock pushed fully inside. 

“Oh, God,” Steve moaned. “Yer so tight.”

Loki began to roll his hips maddeningly slowly. “Easy, my love,” he said. “Make it last for me.”

Steve growled and took Loki’s waist between his hands, trying to hold Loki still while he ground up against him. They found an easy rhythm, Steve making small grunts as Loki made the laughing, panting sound that had nearly driven Steve crazy in the limo three weeks before.

 _Sweet Christ, has it only been three weeks?_ Steve thought crazily.

Loki looked back over his shoulder, close to really laughing now. “Stark tells me this is called the ‘reverse cowgirl,’” he said.

“’Cept yer not a girl,” Steve said.

“’Tis a pity I can’t use my magic,” Loki said. “There are so many more things I can do when I can change shape.”

“I’ll just bet,” Steve said. “Wouldn’t it be something? I could be after something different and just order you: ‘Loki, turn into a tall, classy broad with big tits!” And he laughed out loud.

And then he felt Loki’s body shift under his hands. Loki’s waist narrowed while his hips widened. Steve looked up to see Loki’s hair tumbling even further down his back in lush waves. Steve froze, and his mouth dropped open as he gasped for air.

Loki looked over his shoulder again and Steve felt his eyes go wide. Loki’s face was unmistakably his and yet not; his nose and jaw were just a bit too narrow, his lips too full. “What’s wrong?” he said, his baritone voice now definitely an alto.

Loki’s eyes widened, too, and then he threw himself off and away from Steve, staring down at the large _female_ breasts in his hands.

“Holy shit,” Steve breathed.

Several emotions played over Loki’s face in quick succession: shock first, then confusion, surprise, and finally settling on unfettered joy. “My magic!” Loki cried. “You are able to command me to use my magic!” He ( _or was it she,_ Steve thought, his mind racing) scrambled off the bed to stand in front of the mirror again.

His hands, smaller and more delicate now, touched himself all over – his face, his full, round breasts, the soft, feminine mound where his manhood had been not a minute before. “Oh, but this is marvelous,” he crowed, and turned to Steve with a lascivious smile.

“Do you like what you see, master?” he said, and Steve nodded mutely. Loki walked slowly back to the bed, his hips swinging seductively.

“Loki, we gotta figure this out,” Steve said. adrenaline causing him to sober up rapidly.

“Indeed we do,” Loki said, sliding into bed alongside Steve. “But there is plenty of time in the morning. Let’s not waste this now.” He took Steve’s shoulder and rolled him gently on his side, bringing them face to face. Their lips came together in a searing kiss, and Steve’s hands began to roam over Loki’s body, finding softness where once it was hard. But the way Loki moved was unmistakably the same, and when Loki’s leg fell over Steve’s waist, and Loki’s hips rolled against him, Steve felt disoriented by the clash of familiarity and novelty.

And then Loki was arching his back to take Steve’s member inside himself, and the combination of ecstasy and intoxication meant he didn’t think much of anything for awhile.

+++

Steve woke in the morning with his arms around Loki. His first thought was that the night before had been a dream, but a quick squeeze set that thought aside as the demigod looked up at him and smiled, a smile that promised wicked delights, now that his magic was back.

Loki pressed his female body against Steve’s and ran his hands down Steve’s flanks, just a quick moment before the collar compelled him out of bed. He gathered his book from the nightstand and his tunic from the floor, and then took his coat from the closet, his every movement more sensual than ever, as though this new form was a license to play and tease.

He stopped a moment just at the door and gave Steve a very amused look.

“As funny as I think Tony’s reaction to you like that would be, I think we need to roll this one out slowly,” Steve said. “Please return to your normal form.”

Loki rolled his eyes in mild exasperation as he transformed back to his masculine shape, then exited to prepare for the day.

“Jesus Christ,” Steve muttered, as he got up himself.

+++

Steve entered the kitchen to find Pepper drinking coffee, Tony in sunglasses with his head down on the table, and Loki at the counter whisking protein powder into what looked like some kind of fruit smoothie. “Good morning,” Steve said, helping himself to some coffee and topping off Pepper’s cup. Tony looked up blearily.

“Damn it, you’re not even hung over,” he grumbled. “That is just not fucking fair.”

“You only have yourself to blame,” Pepper said. “Thor did warn you.”

“I am never drinking with Norse gods again,” Tony said. “Their liquor is too damn sneaky.”

“I don’t know what that means,” Pepper said, “but it sounds like a good rule of thumb.”

Loki set the drink he’d been preparing in front of Tony. “Drink all of this,” he said, “then a glass of apple juice and another glass of water. Then you should be able to stomach breakfast.”

“Are you sure this will work?” Tony said, taking a tentative sip.

“It took me a long time before I was able to keep up with Thor,” Loki confessed, “and it always worked for me.”

Steve and Pepper made small talk about her recent vacation while Tony finished Loki’s concoction and started in on some apple juice, and Loki started frying some bacon and eggs. By the time breakfast was served, Tony was looking much better.

“By the way,” he said to Steve, “I had one more gift for you, but I didn’t know if you’d want it out there for general perusal, so I waited.” Tony retrieved a wrapped package from the next room and handed it to Steve.

Steve undid the ribbon and tape and removed a large cloth-bound book. He recognized it immediately. “Oh, Tony,” he breathed. “You found it.”

“As soon as you were declared missing my dad commandeered possession of your personal effects,” Tony said. “I’m pretty sure he was trying to protect your memory. He released most of it to the army, and it eventually found its way into various archives, but I knew there were a few personal items, things that might have been… questionable at the time, so I took a chance and there it was.” Tony looked at Steve thoughtfully. “I have some letters, too, if you want them.”

“Tony… this is amazing,” Steve said, turning the brittle pages of the sketchbook with utmost care. Everyone at the table watched silently as each leaf turned, revealing drawings Steve had done seven decades before, war-torn landscapes, portraits of fellow soldiers, and, yes, the infamous nudes of a beautiful young French prostitute. Steve had written her name at the bottom of one page and he murmured, “Yes, Monique. I’d forgotten…”

“Who is that?” Pepper asked when Steve had turned several more pages. “I keep seeing his face all through this.”

“That’s Bucky Barnes,” Steve said. “He was my best friend.”

“Hell of a soldier, too, according to Howard,” Tony added.

“He was,” Steve said. “But he… he was killed in action.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” Pepper said.

“It’s okay,” Steve told her. “It was a long time ago.” And he closed the sketchbook. “Thank you, Tony, really,” he said. “This really means a lot.”

“I’m just glad I could find it,” Tony said.

They ate more breakfast, Loki popping up and down from the table to keep refreshing the plate of toast. Finally, Steve caught his eye and raised one questioning eyebrow. Loki slid his gaze over to Tony, took a deep breath, and nodded.

“So,” Steve said, trying to keep him tone casual, “Loki and I made an interesting discovery last night.”

“If it’s about the top-secret vag, I already know,” Tony said.

“Tony!” Pepper scolded, while Loki grinned down at his plate.

“What?” Tony protested. “We were working the charts out and it became pretty obvious.”

“No, not exactly,” Steve said, determined to ignore Tony’s dirty jokes. “It’s a little more complicated.”

“More complicated than _that?”_ Tony said, disbelieving. “Well, now I’m all ears.”

“Apparently,” Steve said, trying to keep the conversation serious, “Loki is able to use his magic if I order him to.”

Tony stared at Loki, who shifted uncomfortably. “So…,” Tony began, aiming for casual himself. “What did you order him to do?”

“Uh, we were just fooling around,” Steve said, “and I ordered him to, uh, shape shift. You know, just as a joke. But it worked.”

Tony’s eyebrows shot towards his hairline. “Shape-shift into what?”

“A tall, classy broad with big tits,” Loki said quickly, before the collar shut his mouth with an audible snap. His smile showed no remorse whatsoever.

“Oh. My. God! Really?!” Pepper said, turning to Steve.

Steve turned nearly maroon with embarrassment. “I, uh, blame Thor’s liquor,” he mumbled.

“Easy, Pep,” Tony said soothingly. “Literally archaic expressions from an archaic man. Let’s focus on the bigger picture. So it worked? He turned… female?”

“Exactly,” Steve said.

“Can he do it again?” Tony asked.

Steve looked at Loki. “Is that okay with you?” he asked, and Loki nodded. “Okay, then,” Steve said. “Loki, um, take the form you took last night.”

And with a smirk, Loki did.

“Oh, my God!” Pepper said.

Tony stood up and pulled off his dark glasses. “No way,” he said. “No fucking way. It’s a trick, an illusion.”

“I can tell you first-hand, it’s not,” Steve said.

Tony waved one hand excitedly. “What else can he do?” he said. “Wait. Stuttgart. He made copies of himself. Try that. And in the legends he could turn into animals. Oh, and what about changing size?”

Loki’s smirk fell away, quickly replaced by growing apprehension. 

“Tony, hold on,” Steve said.

“Well, I think someone’s hangover cure worked a little too well,” Pepper interrupted. “I think further experimentation should be conducted privately, don’t you?”

Tony shut up. “No, you’re absolutely right,” he agreed then. “Test him out and report back. We might need some new charts.”

“Yeah, good idea,” Steve said, getting to his feet and gathering up the sketchbook. “Loki, why don’t we go back to my room.” And he headed for the elevator, Loki trailing after.

Once behind closed doors, Steve gave Loki the commands that allowed him to speak freely, then asked, “do you want to stay like that?”

“Not at the moment, no.” 

“Turn back to your usual form,” Steve commanded and Loki did so. Then he sat heavily on the end of the bed and had Loki sit beside him. “Are you okay?” Steve asked.

Loki nodded, then said, “I need to remember what Stark is capable of,” he said. “He is charming and can be agreeable, but there is a ruthlessness in him.”

“I don’t think Tony would hurt you,” Steve said reassuringly. “Not now that he knows you.”

“Perhaps not intentionally,” Loki said. “But I forget at my peril that he is not always… careful with his toys.” He sighed shakily. “Perhaps revealing my magic to him was a mistake.”

“You’re still under my protection, Loki,” Steve averred. “Tony has no say in this.”

“You’ve no idea how relived I am to hear that,” Loki said. “I cannot disregard how helpless this collar can make me.”

Steve took Loki’s hand and traced the design on the vambraces he still wore, then lightly stroked Loki’s fingers. “Do you want to test your magic?” Steve asked.

“Perhaps just a little,” Loki agreed. “Order me to create a double of myself. That has always been a useful illusion.”

Steve did, and Loki was able to comply. He was also able to glamour his appearance, impersonating Tony, Pepper, and Steve himself. He created light, and changed the appearance of Steve’s room to convincingly resemble both a palace on Asgard, and a deep, wooded glade.

Steve found himself awed and a little frightened by Loki’s sheer power. “I think that’s about it for today,” he said when Loki sat beside him again. “There’s just one last thing.” 

Loki turned to Steve curiously, and Steve bracketed Loki between his hands, one firmly in the small of his back, the other splayed over Loki’s abdomen.

“Loki,” Steve ordered. “Heal yourself.”

He actually felt a warm vibration spread across Loki’s belly, and then it was gone, leaving the demigod gasping for breath. And then Loki threw himself, sobbing, across Steve’s lap.

+++

Steve carefully ordered Loki to rest and take time for himself in his own rooms for awhile. Luckily, it seemed that their “experiments” of the morning had caused the binding to ease considerably.

Steve returned to the common areas to find Tony and Pepper still about, watching some old black-and-white film on one of the expansive couches, Pepper’s feet in Tony’s lap.

“How’s Loki doing?” Pepper asked as Steve sat in one of the armchairs. 

“He’s fine,” Steve said. “He’s reading the book I got him in his room.”

“I’m glad he’s resting,” Pepper said. “I imagine using his magic was pretty intense.”

“That’s one way to put it,” Steve said, and Tony gave a low chuckle. “I don’t mean it that way,” Steve said. “I, uh… I ordered him to heal himself.”

“Heal himself of what?” Tony said. “Being a psychopath?”

“Tony, come on,” Steve cajoled. “His last master…”

“The rapist,” Tony clarified, and Pepper shook her head sympathetically. 

“Right,” Steve agreed. “Anyway, he, uh, mutilated him. Pretty brutally, according to Doctor Kinross. It’s… It was bad.”

“Poor Loki,” Pepper said. “I know he’s done terrible things, but I almost feel sorry for him. I mean, what he has with you… it’s sweet.” 

“Oh, please,” Tony said. “He’s only pathetic when he wants to be.”

“I don’t know,” Steve said. “I believe the collar prevents him from lying, so what you see is what you get, you know?”

“What are you planning to do with your new-found power?” Tony asked.

“What do you mean?” Steve said.

“Loki’s magic,” Tony said. “I mean, think about it. Next bad guy attacks, you point that gun and…” and Tony pantomimed shooting Steve with his index finger.

“That’s… I’m not sure I want to do that,” Steve said. “That’s a bridge we’ll have to cross when we come to it.”

Suddenly Jarvis piped up. “Sir, Miss Romanov is on her way up.”

“Well, at least she didn’t sneak in this time,” Tony said, as the elevator doors opened and Natasha exited. She looked around suspiciously.

“Where is he?” she said. There was no need to ask who.

“In his room,” Steve said. “Why do you ask?”

Natasha pinned Steve with an intense stare. “So, is it true?” she asked. “Are you fucking him?”

Steve heard Pepper gasp and saw Tony lean forward. “Not that it’s anyone’s business,” Steve said, “and I wouldn’t put it so crudely, but yes. For a few weeks now.”

It was probably the closest Steve had ever seen Natasha come to losing her cool, but a quick roll of her head on her neck and it passed. “Rogers, have you lost your goddamn mind?” she asked icily. “There are about a hundred things wrong with him being your little gigolo. Did you just disregard common sense all of a sudden?”

Steve glared at her a moment, turned his head and turned back. “Your objection has been noted,” he said calmly.

Natasha turned on Tony. “And you’re okay with this?”

“What do you want me to do?” Tony said. “Throw cold water on them?”

Natasha pressed her lips together, and Steve could almost hear her mentally counting to ten. “Is he still under your control?”

“Absolutely,” Steve said, and there was another tense silence.

“Fine,” Natasha said at last. “You’re a grown man. I can’t tell you what to do. But SHIELD is onto you. They might not know the details, but after the little open house yesterday, they know he’s here. And they’re watching you very closely. Don’t get careless, Rogers. At least, no more careless than you’ve been already.”

“Again, noted,” Steve said.

And muttering something in Russian under her breath, Natasha left.

“Jarvis,” Tony addressed the AI when she was gone. “Step up security around the tower. I don’t want a pigeon to land on this building without a cavity search.”

“I presume you’re speaking metaphorically,” Jarvis said, “but I shall raise the alert level to carnelian.”

“Do you want us out?” Steve asked, but Tony waved the question away.

“Please,” he said. “If I’m not being watched, I’ll feel like I’m slacking off.”

And the subject was dropped, for the moment. Later, Loki came looking for Steve, and Steve was able to gather him into his lap to watch the end of the movie.

+++

That night, Loki entered Steve’s room and perched on the end of the bed while Steve changed out of his clothes. “What form do you wish me to take tonight, master?” he asked eagerly. “I could return to my female form of last night, or perhaps take another. Any woman you desire.”

“Loki…” Steve began, and the demigod’s face clouded.

“Perhaps there is some boy you find comely,” Loki suggested. “I can make myself much younger.”

“Loki, no!” Steve was horrified by the suggestion. “First of all, Midgardians find… coupling with children completely offensive. Don’t even think about it. Second, and more importantly, I desire you. Just like this. No illusions, just you.”

Loki stared silently, completely taken aback. “In truth?” 

“In truth,” Steve said patiently. “Not to put too fine a point on it, but if I wanted something else, I’d go get it. And the magic is a fun extra bonus, and I’m sure I’ll find some practical use for it, at some point, but I don’t want a cast of thousands in my bed. I want you.”

Loki stared some more, completely dumbfounded. “Well, okay, then,” he said finally, peeling his tunic off and spreading himself, naked, across the bed.

“Okay, then,” Steve repeated, and he tossed his own clothes aside and pounced, playfully, on his lover.

+++

Things went back to their usual routine. Loki spent his days on various duties around the tower and for Ms. Arbogast. He spent his nights in Steve’s bed. It was a very agreeable routine to all concerned.

So, naturally, it lasted all of a week and a half.

Steve had to hand it to SHIELD, though, they were never ones to let a high-tech security system designed by a super-genius get in the way of a dramatic entrance, so when Tony, Steve, and Loki returned to the tower after a successful showing at the Combat Robot quarter-finals to find Nick Fury striking a pose next to the Christmas tree, Steve was only surprised that he was surprised.

“Well,” Fury announced, “isn’t this cozy. I’d heard you were playing house with a murderous psychopath, but some things you need to see to believe.”

Steve heard Loki make a strangled whimper, and moved to put himself between Fury and the demigod.

“And, once again, you’re breaking into my house,” Tony said angrily.

“Maybe if you and your colleagues didn’t regard international law as mere suggestions, I wouldn’t have to,” Fury replied.

“He’s under my control,” Steve said, trying to keep his voice calm. “He’s no longer a threat.”

“Unfortunately, you don’t get to make that determination,” Fury said.

“No, that was Asgard’s call,” Tony said. “And this is how they called it. Now, you could arrest Cap, drag Loki off and put him in a cell where, I guarantee, he will slowly starve to death while awaiting his master’s orders, hope it won’t cause an intergalactic incident when Thor finds out, or… you look the other way and trust that _Captain America,_ scion of justice and virtue, is going to do the right thing.”

Fury’s eye narrowed at Tony.

“I know what I’d do,” Tony said, shooting a fond smile at Steve.

Fury’s mouth twisted into a bitter smile. “Seven billion people on this planet and you choose the homicidal alien. I hope he’s worth it, Captain.”

“Yeah, I trust you can show yourself out,” Tony said lightly.

Fury shouldered his way between Steve and Tony, and Steve felt Loki trembling where he was literally hiding from Fury behind Steve’s back. Fury stopped to look Steve in the eye.

“But make no mistake,” Fury said, his voice a low growl. “The second he steps out of line…”

Tony laid one hand on Fury’s shoulder. “Don’t come into my home and threaten my guests, Director,” he said, his voice as low and threatening as Fury’s. “That’s just not done. It’s the sort of thing that makes a _gentleman_ unwilling to do business. Do we understand one another?”

Fury glared at Tony over his shoulder, but did not deign to answer. Then he turned on his heel and stepped into the elevator, not breaking eye contact as the doors closed on him.

Once he was gone, Steve spun around. “Are you all right?” he asked Loki.

Loki nodded weakly, then sank to his knees, all slack spent. Steve knelt down, too, taking Loki in his arms and stroking his back. “It’s okay, you’re safe,” Steve soothed, and Loki’s shaking began to ease.

“Take him to your rooms,” Tony murmured, heading for his own quarters. “He needs attention.”

Steve gave the necessary orders to get Loki up, to his rooms, and preparing himself for bed, but other than a few check-ins to make sure he wasn’t too traumatized, Steve wasn’t quite ready to discuss this new development. The picture Tony had painted was a vivid one, and seeing as he probably knew more about how Loki’s binding worked than anyone save perhaps the sorcerers who created it, Steve had no doubt it was entirely accurate. And having lived it for months, now, he could imagine it all too clearly. Loki had told him at the beginning that he didn’t need food or rest in the same way as humans did, so suffering was inevitable, and even Loki didn’t know how long it might go on. Steve pressed the heels of his hands to his eyes, trying to blot out the mental image of Loki in the glass cell SHIELD had for him, had prepared for him two years ago. Loki on his knees, hands crossed in the small of his back, exhausted, starving, and scared out of his mind. And that was only if SHIELD decided to leave him alone. They could make it so much worse if they didn’t.

Steve felt Loki’s cool hand on the back of his neck, and he looked up into Loki’s pale eyes.

“Don’t disquiet yourself,” Loki said. “You and Stark will protect me, I know. Come, let us lie together, my love.”

And Steve thought, _he isn’t lying. He_ can’t _lie. But that doesn’t mean he can’t be mistaken._

And in a flash, Steve knew what he had to do. He sat down on the bed and beckoned Loki to him. “Here,” he said, “kneel by me. Lay your head in my lap.”

Loki gave a wicked smile and did as Steve asked, winding his arms around Steve’s waist. “Shall I…” he began, but Steve shushed him gently. 

“Just be still,” Steve said, and he stroked Loki’s hair. “I just… want to hold you here for a moment.”

“Very well,” Loki said quietly.

Steve looked down at Loki’s profile against the blue of his slacks, the demigod’s face as beautiful as ever, his eyelashes a dark smudge against his pale cheek.

“Kiss me, Loki,” Steve said, and Loki looked up, his eyes bright and trusting, then rose up on his knees to meet Steve’s lips with his own. They broke apart after a moment, and Steve brushed the back of his fingers against Loki’s cheek.

“Loki,” Steve said, willing his voice to stay even, “I order you to break the spell that binds you.”

Loki’s eyes went wide, and then he was scrambling to his feet, backing away from Steve. He reached up to grip the collar, his hands glowing green with magic, and the metal binding fell into pieces. At the same moment, Steve felt the cuff at his wrist vibrate then go still.

Loki was staring at him from across the room, his expression unreadable to Steve, and then Loki’s hands cut through the air and his cotton tunic was replaced by a version of the Asgardian clothes Steve had seen him in two years ago, all leather and armor plate. Another gesture, and a long dagger appeared in each of Loki’s hands. 

“Loki, no!” Steve shouted, but in a flash of green fire Loki was gone, and Steve’s words echoed in the room.

+++

Steve swore, and called Loki’s name, and bargained with the air, and paced angrily, and cursed his own stupidity, and finally threw himself down on the bed and stared angrily at the dark until he fell asleep.

+++

Steve woke just before dawn when he felt the cuff that still sat snug about his wrist vibrate. He blinked in the gray light and sat up, rubbing the cuff with his other hand. Maybe it would come off now, he thought, now that Loki was gone.

He swung his legs out of bed, realizing he’d have to inform Tony of what he’d done, and of all the other consequences that would come raining down in the next few days. And that’s when he saw Loki, kneeling in his “rest” position by the bedroom door.

The demigod had returned to his plain human clothes, soft trousers and tunic, but his hair was disheveled and slick with sweat. He was shaking, very slightly. 

Steve stood and crossed to him, stopping short at the wary look in his eyes. “Oh, God, Loki,” he said. “What did you do?”

Loki looked up, and Steve’s heart jolted when he saw the collar again around Loki’s neck. “I teleported away. Just for a while,” Loki said. 

Steve knelt down by Loki’s side and tried to slip his fingers under the collar, but it was on as tight as ever. “Loki, what happened?” Steve said, his voice starting to break. “What did you do? Where did you go?”

“I… I...,” Loki stuttered, shaking his head, and Steve realized he was “stuck” like he hadn’t been for months, the collar confused and trying to answer all Steve’s questions at once.

“Loki, stop,” Steve said, and Loki returned to rest, but his eyes remained on Steve. 

Steve forced his voice to a semblance of calm. “Did you hurt anyone,” he said. 

“No,” Loki said. 

“Oh, thank God.” Steve took a deep breath. “And the collar?” he said finally.

“I… ensorcelled it back,” Loki said. “As it was.”

Steve reached out and ran his fingers over the metal band. “Why?” he asked in disbelief, and Loki turned tear-filled eyes to him. 

“For you,” he said. “So I could come back to you. I was…” And his mouth was snapped shut.

Steve’s own eyes filled with tears. “Please explain in detail,” he choked out.

“When you freed me,” Loki began, “I had to go. I had been wronged, I had to break for my freedom. But when I was outside, alone, my head was filled with… with… confusion, like a hive of wasps, and all I knew was that you would quiet them. That you would calm me. That with you I could be content. But only if… only if…” Loki let a soft sob escape from his throat. “I need you to control me, Steve. Because I don’t trust I can control myself.”

Steve gathered Loki into his arms as best he could, though Loki remained constrained by his collar. “You crazy bastard,” he said, laughing and crying at once. “I can’t believe you. I can’t believe you’d come back to me like this.”

“But I have,” Loki insisted. “I reconstructed the binding of the collar exactly. I am bound by the original strictures…”

“No, no, I don’t mean that,” Steve said. “You were free, Loki.”

“And it was meaningless without you,” Loki said.

“I very much want to hold you and kiss you,” Steve said. “Are you up for that?”

“Yes, most emphatically,” Loki said.

And Steve gave the order to do so.

+++

It occurred to Steve an hour or so later, when Loki had fallen back into his normal duties and gone to wash and prepare for the day, that no one besides him and Loki even had to know about the events of the previous night. They could simply go on as always, with Tony and SHIELD none the wiser. But there was one niggling doubt in the back of Steve’s mind, one he wished he could disregard, but there it stayed: The thought that it could all be a ruse. That Loki could simply be pretending to be under Steve’s control, while secretly being free to come and go as he pleased. Steve didn’t want to believe it, wanted to believe Loki’s pretty words about trust and control. But he needed to know for sure, and for that he needed Tony.

He found Tony at breakfast, eating pancakes with one hand and working out some problem on a holographic screen with the other. Nothing amiss, then.

“Heard you had another exciting night,” Tony said, not looking up.

Steve glanced over to where Loki was ladling batter onto the hot griddle, and Tony looked up then.

“No, not him,” Tony said. “Jarvis told me.”

 _Of course,_ thought Steve.

“I wasn’t spying intentionally,” Tony said apologetically. “I just set up an alert if Loki left the tower alone, so…”

“I had to,” Steve blurted out. “And if Fury comes for him, I’ll do it again.”

“I know,” Tony said. “If it had been me, I’d have done the same. He may have been a genocidal psychopath once, but with you, I think he’s getting better.”

Loki slid a plate of pancakes in front of Steve and gave him a small pat on the shoulder, and Steve felt a warm rush of affection.

“I really appreciate that, Tony,” Steve said. “And I have one more favor to ask.”

“Hit me,” Tony said.

“Loki had to reconstruct the binding spell,” Steve said, “and I just wanted to make sure there weren’t any problems. Do you think you could check him out with the imaging device you have and compare it to the earlier readings?”

Tony gave Steve a look that said he clearly understood the subtext but said, “that’s not a bad idea. You don’t want him glitching, or anything.”

“Thanks, Tony,” Steve said, and Loki joined them at the table. 

Later, they all convened in Tony’s workshop, and Tony created his scanning array in the air. “Jarvis, just put our minds at rest and compare Loki’s baseline scans to everything since he returned to the tower this morning. I’m looking, in particular, at the functioning of his binding collar.”

“Mr. Laufeyson’s binding collar is functioning within the original baseline parameters,” Jarvis said.

“Great,” Tony said.

“Height and temperature are unchanged, there is slight weight gain but well within healthy BMI limits,” Jarvis went on.

“The BMI is bullshit, but that’s good to know,” Tony said.

“I thought you looked underfed when you got here, anyway,” Steve said to Loki.

“There is one more thing.” Jarvis said.

Tony flipped through the images on the screen distractedly. “Lay it on us,” he said.

“Mr. Laufeyson appears to be pregnant.”

And Steve only just managed to catch Loki before he hit the floor in a dead faint.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will there be a sequel? Damn right there will be a sequel! Because not only will Steve Rogers have to face being a dad, the Winter Soldier’s day is about to dawn. Please be patient. I’ll write as fast as I can. In the meantime, everything wants love (spoilers: kudos, comments, and reccs are love.) Thanks for reading and I hope you liked it.


End file.
